Spicy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

This was delicious! It was an interesting twist on mashed potatoes, and the red curry paste really complemented the sweet potatoes nicely। Next time, I will reduce the amount of butter to only 3 tablespoons instead of 4, but the recipe works nicely the way it is!

5 pounds sweet potatoes (about 5 or 6 potatoes)
1 cup coconut water
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake potatoes on a baking sheet until very soft, about 1 hour. When cool enough to handle, peel and mash.

In a small saucepan, heat coconut water with curry paste over low heat. You can substitute coconut milk for the coconut water, if you prefer. When it is warmer through, remove from heat and mix into the potatoes. Mix half the sugar, half the butter, and salt into potatoes. When the ingredients have been thoroughly mixed, spoon into a casserole dish. Keep warm until ready to serve, or cover and refrigerate up to two days.

At least 30 minutes before serving, heat oven to 425 degrees. Put potatoes in a baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover potatoes, dot with remaining butter and sugar and broil until brown and crusty on top. Check often to prevent scorching.

Roasted Garlic Hummus

I am a big fan of dips in general, particularly hummus! I love how quick and easy it is to prepare, not to mention how simple the ingredients are. This roasted garlic hummus was delicious, but be warned: the garlic flavor can get pretty intense depending on the size of the garlic head you use.

1 (19 ounce) can chickpeas

1 head roasted garlic (see below for instructions)
Juice and zest from 1 lemon

2 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons olive oil


salt and pepper to taste



To Roast the Garlic:

Peel off the outer layers from the head of garlic, but leave the individual cloves encased in peel. Cut the tops of the heads of garlic off so that a little bit of each clove is exposed.
Drizzle olive oil on the exposed garlic cloves and season with kosher salt. I drizzled the olive oil in batches, to make sure that the head soaked up as much as possible.
Cover the garlic in aluminum foil, and
bake at 400 F on a cookie sheet until the garlic is soft and golden brown, about 1 hour.
Let the garlic cool. Once it has cooled, carefully remove each clove from its peel and set aside. This also make a tasty snack--enjoy it with crusty bread, or as an appetizer!

Puree everything in a food processor until smooth. Add some water (or olive oil) to bring it to the consistency that you like. Serve with veggies, or pita chips! It also makes a good spread in sandwiches.

Chicken with Artichoke and Caper Pasta

This was such an easy dinner to prepare, and I particularly enjoyed the addition of the artichokes and capers to the dish! This would make a lovely summer meal। Cooking chicken this way is a favorite method of mine, but combined with the savory and salty pasta, it made for a delicious meal!

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

8 thin chicken cutlets (about 1 1/2 pounds total)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts packed in water, rinsed, drained, and quartered

2 tablespoons rinsed and drained capers

2 tablespoons butter

8 ounces angel-hair pasta

Set a large pot of salted water to boil. Place flour in a shallow dish, and season with salt and pepper. Dredge cutlets, shaking off excess.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Cook chicken in batches, adding remaining oil as needed, until light golden, 1 to 3 minutes per side. Set the cooked chicken to the side, then add broth to the skillet, and bring to a boil. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half. Add the artichokes and capers to the skiller. Gently swirl to combine, and simmer for a few minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Swirl in butter, and cover to keep warm.

Add pasta to boiling water. Cook until al dente (about 8-9 minutes); drain. Place the cooked pasta in a large bowl, then pour the artichoke and caper sauce over the pasta. Mix well, then serve with the chicken cutlets.

"Spanish" Spaghetti

This spaghetti was such a hit! Very hearty, and perfect for a winter supper. It also offered a nice twist on standard spaghetti--the olives and capers made such a difference! I will definitely be making this again!

8 ounces spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces extra-lean ground turkey
1 2/3 cups marinara sauce
1/2 cup sliced pimiento-stuffed green olives
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon capers

Add pasta to boiling water. Cook for about 9 minutes, or until done. Drain, and set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté about 4 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in oregano, red pepper, and black pepper. Crumble turkey into pan; cook 5 minutes or until turkey is browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in marinara sauce, olives, sherry, and capers. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

Add spaghetti to sauce mixture. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Enjoy with a crisp salad, or some crusty bread.

Grilled Chicken with Whole Grain Mustard Sauce

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• The whole grain mustard cream sauce really transformed this dish from run-of-the-mill grilled chicken। The sauce was had a very distinct flavor, so you might want to serve it on the side if you are unsure of your guests' tastes. I enjoyed the sauce warmed through, but you could serve it at room temperature, if preferred.
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• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon whole-grain Dijon mustard, divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• Cooking spray
• 3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon water
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Combine 1 teaspoon mustard, oil, and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl; brush evenly over chicken. Let it marinate for about an hour. Place chicken on grill rack (such as a George Foreman grill) coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes on each side or until done (this will depend on the thickness of the chicken).

While the chicken grills, combine 1 tablespoon mustard, mayonnaise, and 1 tablespoon water in a bowl. Salt and pepper to taste. Heat over low until the sauce is warmed through. Serve mustard cream with grilled chicken. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired.

Balsamic Glazed Chicken with Honey Roasted Tomatoes

This meal couldn't have been easier to prepare. It was quick (which for me is a huge plus, especially on a week night), but it was a definite pleaser! The tomatoes had a wonderful sweetness that complimented the savory, moist chicken, and I plan on integrating them into a future meal.

• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Place the chicken breasts in a deep-set plate, such as a pie plate. Pour the balsamic vinegar over the chicken, then add the garlic, salt and pepper. Let this marinate for at least an hour, covered.

Preheat the oven to 450°. Combine the honey, olive oil and tomatoes in a small bowl; mix until the tomatoes are well coated. Place tomato mixture on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 450° for 12 minutes or until tomato skins burst and begin to wrinkle. Transfer the tomatoes to a bowl, along with the juices. Stir 1/4 teaspoon salt over the tomatoes.

Cook the chicken breasts on a George Foreman grill. If you don't have a GF grill, you can cook it on the stove. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken; cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Serve the chicken with a portion of the tomatoes, and enjoy!

Cognac Shrimp Bisque

This bisque was time-intensive, but so worthwhile! We enjoyed this bisque over the holidays, in between the many delicious meals. It was perfect with a light salad, and some crispy bread as a late lunch or early dinner. The recipe calls for 2 pounds of shrimp, which made the bisque quite hearty. You could easily get away with using only a pound of shrimp, which is what I plan on doing next time. This bisque was so satisfying, and had a nice kick--I cannot wait to make it again!

2 pounds shell-on shrimp
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 medium celery stalks, diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
5 fresh thyme sprigs
2 medium bay leaves
5 cups water
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Cognac
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Peel shrimp, reserving the shells. Coarsely chop shrimp into bite-size pieces, place in a medium container, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Place 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, and reserved shrimp shells and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are just tender and shells are pink but not browned, about 5 minutes.

Increase heat to medium/high and add the tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir until vegetables are well-coated. Add water, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the broth has achieved a nice shrimp flavor, about 30 minutes. Strain through a strainer (the finer the better) into a heatproof container; set aside and discard solids.

Wipe out any solids in the saucepan and return it to the stove over low heat. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and melt. When the butter begins to foam, whisk in flour and cook, whisking frequently, until smooth and golden brown, about 4 minutes.

Slowly whisk in Cognac, then reserved hot stock, whisking until smooth, and bring to a boil. Add cream, cayenne, and reserved shrimp and stir to combine. Simmer until flavors have melded and shrimp is cooked through but not tough, about 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with a bay leaf, or a cooked shrimp.