Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes or Butternut Squash or Beets

Posted on November 20, 2010 by Sandy

My daughter needed a pot luck item for a Thankgiving dinner tonight with about 19 friends.  She loves sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed them, roasted in a 400 degree oven on a cookie sheet.  I find that about 3 sweet potatoes will fit per cookie sheet.  Keep them in a single layer, they will brown nicely and not get mushy.  (I also love Butternut Squash and/or Beets roasted in this same way.)

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with a dash of nutmeg

Make sure you use a little olive oil so they do not stick.  After 45 minutes, they will be perfect.  Salt and pepper to taste and I always like to add a bit of freshly grated nutmeg.

Perfectly yummy!

Simple Sweet Potatoes - Oven Roasted

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Polish Sausage, Peppers and Onions Sandwich

Posted on November 20, 2010 by Sandy

Onions, Peppers and Sausage - Oh My!

1 Onion sliced

2 Bell Peppers – I like two different colors like yellow and red

1 polish sausage – Kilbasa  – sliced

½ tsp red pepper flakes

½ cup grated cheese – matzarella or your favorite mixture

Onion roll, or sesame seed roll.

Dijon Mustard

Carmelize the onions and bell peppers, add the sausage and let warm.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Spread your bread roll with mustard and top with a bit of grated cheese.

Spoon onion, peppers and sausage mixture over cheese. 

Top the a warm sausage with more cheese.  It will melt from the sausage.

Satisfying, very tasty.

Polish Sausage, Peppers and Onions Sandwich

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Polish Sausage with Linguini, Zucchini and Artichoke Hearts

Posted on November 17, 2010 by Sandy

Admit it, it sounds so good to you.  Sausage lovers unite.  

I had a sandwich the other day filled with bell peppers and sausage at a local BBQ joint, and I thought I probably could create a dinner. 

So, off to the market as I headed home.  I wanted to make rosemary alfredo cream sauce and then add the sausage to it.  By itself, I thought it would be a bit heavy, so I lightened it up by adding artichoke hearts and zucchini.  As you can see by the pasta, I was light handed with the alfredo sauce. No need to have the pasta swimming in the sauce, it is very rich.

I sauted the ground rosemary in olive oil, then added a touch of cream.  Letting the flavors infuse while I sauted the zucchini, then added the sausage and artichoke hearts until warm.

Boiled water and cooked the pasta. I like linguini, but you could use any other favorite pastas including penne.

I tossed the linguini and portioned it out onto the plates.  Add the vegetables over the pasta, and there you go.

Finished quickly, and yet a nice meal.

Top with freshly ground parmesan cheese.

Enjoy.

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Grilled Fish Tacos

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Sandy

A small place out on silver strand beach sold fish tacos and I had them about 25 years ago.  They weren’t very fashionable back then, but they have gotten to be more and more so.  Most places you get your choice grilled or breaded. 

Grilled is definately healthier, so here you go.

I like white fish, like tuna but  Sea Bass and Talipia Halibut work well also.  Tuna and Thresher Shark taste like steak with a lot less fat. 

Typically I make my “Spanked Tuna”, slice it, and then layout a display of sides for the buffet.

Or fire up the grill.  

Marinade:

  • 2 cups chopped white onion, divided
  • 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
  • 1 pound white fish: tuna, tilapia, striped bass, or sturgeon fillet, sea bass, swordfish, thresher shark
  • Coarse kosher salt
  • Corn tortillas
  • 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, sliced
  • 1/2 small head of cabbage, cored, thinly sliced
  • Salsa Verde
  • Lime wedges

Preparation

Marinade: Stir 1 cup onion, 1/4 cup cilantro, oil, 3 tablespoons lime juice, orange juice, garlic, and oregano in medium bowl. Sprinkle fish with coarse salt and pepper. Spread half of onion mixture over bottom of 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange fish atop onion mixture. Spoon remaining onion mixture over fish. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Turn fish; cover and chill 30 minutes longer.

Lime Mayonnaise:

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice

    • Whisk mayonnaise, milk, and lime juice in small bowl.

    Brush grill grate with oil; prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill fish with some marinade still clinging until just opaque in center, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Grill tortillas until slightly charred, about 10 seconds per side.

    Coarsely chop fish; place on platter. Serve with lime mayonnaise, tortillas, remaining 1 cup chopped onion, remaining 1/2 cup cilantro, avocados, cabbage, Salsa Verde, and lime wedges.

     Rice and Beans go well with this meal.

    Serve with fried corn or flour tortillas or fire grilled corn or flour tortillas.

    Posted in Mexican Restaurant, Ocean's Best Seafood | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

    Rice – Perfect every time.

    Posted on November 15, 2010 by Sandy

    I used to make soggy rice or  sometimes it would be al dente – you know, tough in the center.

    Today, I am proud of my rice and do not hesitate to whip up a batch for an office luncheon. 

    Use a heavy pot that will go from stovetop to oven. I like a small braising pot with a lid.  

    Olive Oil  2 Tablespoons

    2 Cups of White Rice  (You can add 1/2 cup of wild rice if you like)

    1/2 Cup of Veggies: Peas, Carrots, Onions, Salsa or Pico De Gallo,  or mushrooms

    1 tsp garlic powder and parsley

    1/4 cup of lime or lemon juice (optional)

    2 Cups Water or Chicken Stock (Makes your rice more flavorful)

    Add a little olive oil to the bottom of the pan, and in a proportion of 1 part rice, use 1 part water or boullion.

    Add 1 cup of Jasmine white rice to the olive oil.  Pop the rice on the stovetop stirring to keep from burning.

    Once about 1/4 of it has popped, then add your liquid ingredients of equal proportion.

    You can also add cubed chopped onions, black pepper is great in this rice and salt.

    If you are going to add veggies: peas, carrots, onions, or tomato salsa for spanish rice – do so now unless they are canned veggies and then you can add them 5 minutes before taking the rice from the oven.  Bring the ingredients to a boil and then place in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

    Perfect rice everytime.

    Variations:

    Wild Rice:  1 1/2 cups white rice, 1/2 cup wild rice, chicken stock, onions

    Mushroom Wild Rice with Carmelized Onions:  Cook white and wild rice as above in vegetable or chicken stock.

    Carmelize onions with brown sugar, garlic powder, and 2 T butter.  Puree onion mixture.  Saute mushrooms in 2 T butter, add 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream and stir into cooked wild rice mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

    Yellow Rice:  Add diced carrots, peas, white onion, and 1 tsp tumeric. By the way, tumeric is very good for you and I hear it keeps you from getting alzheimers.  Worth a try.

    Tumeric Rice with Peas and Carrots

    White Spanish rice: Onions, peas and carrots

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    Roast Turkey – It is not just for Thanksgiving!!

    Posted on November 14, 2010 by Sandy

    It is nearing Thanksgiving and once again I overhear people nervously confess they have never cooked a turkey.  Their concerns?  It will be dry, or worse yet not cooked. Stop over thinking it.  

    I love turkey sandwiches and while at Costco yesterday, I was going to buy some sliced turkey, but wow, for the price I could purchase a whole turkey – so I did. 

    I’ve been roasting turkey since I was a teenager. My parents divorced and to help my Dad, I was in the kitchen.  I loved those days of making the dressing while the turkey was in the oven.   Cook with your kids, they will remember it forever. I have wonderful memories of meal times, large table, big platters of food, the unbelievable smells and of course many smiling faces chatting around the table.

    Turn the oven to 350 degrees. Wash the bird, I always figure if I am going to cook a turkey, I like the largest turkey that will fit in the oven.  One year I purchased a 26 going on 27 pounds. Well, that was a bit big.  I actually had a hard time fitting it in my pan, my oven, and it was very difficult to hoist into and out of the oven.  Stick with what you can lift, but don’t buy anything less than 12 pounds.

    You may think that is a lot of turkey, but with sandwiches and the freezer being nearby, just cook the whole turkey.

    This fresh young turkey – that’s what it said on the package – is a little over 19 pounds.  I brought it home, washed the outside and inside out removing those extra parts.  You know there is a big resurgance in using the internal organs, but I just toss them.  I keep the neck and carcass and freeze in a ziplock until I am ready to make soup. 

    For you, my friend Denise, take that plastic thing out of the turkey.  And, there can be extra stuff in the neck as well as the body cavity. You need to do a full body search removing everything, then was the turkey inside and out, and then you are  ready for the next step.

    Pat the turkey dry and set it on you roasting pan.   At the moment it should look very, very white.  Soon to be gorgeous and irresistable.  Notice: I didn’t brine it or go thru any other work. I don’t think turkey needs to be brined and I am not going to baste it either. The oven is my friend and it should be yours too! 

    Using olive oil I rub the turkey all over and sprinkle salt and pepper liberally over the turkey.

    At this point, you can add rosemary or thyme.  But, it is not necessary. 

    Using aluminum foil, cover the entire bird. Crinkle it up, sealing the tent around the roasting pan.  If your foil is smaller then the pan, put two pieces of foil together and seal it up.   Put it into your 350 degree oven. 

    My 19 pounder took about 3.5 hours to cook.  One hour before the turkey is scheduled to be done, take off the tent and place it back into the oven for the remaining hour.  Your turkey will brown nicely over the next hour.

    Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.  (I use my foil again to cover the turkey loosely.)

    Hot Turkey Croissant Sandwich anyone?

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    Spinach with Cream Sauce

    Posted on November 13, 2010 by Sandy

    Tastes so rich.

    Servings: 2-4 people

    Ingredients

    6-8 cups fresh washed spinach
    1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
    1/4 – 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
    Salt & Pepper to taste

    Preparation

    Fry spinach in olive oil.
    When it has reduced in size by 1/2, add salt and pepper. I prefer to go heavy on the pepper as it balances the cream.

    Add cream and stir as spinach continues to cook.

    You don’t have to cook the spinach to death. I prefer it perky!

    Serve with a Roasted Chicken Breast.

    Optional: Add a little parmesan cheese to kick it up.

    Posted in Eat your vegetables, Side Dishes | Tagged , | Leave a comment