Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Spicy Chipolte Mayo

Roasted sweet potatoes are one of my favorite side dishes and make a regular appearance in my home. Treated just like roast potatoes, the edges crisp up and a sprinkle of spicy flavor make them delectable. I like to use Montreal Steak Spice because I love the peppery flavor, but feel free to experiment with whatever spice blend you like.  Clubhouse also makes a great vegetable spice blend-although I haven't been able to find one without salt.  In general I choose the no salt varieties because while I love spice, I don't necessarily love a lot of salt.  Recently,  Kevin suggested we come up with a spicy chipolte mayo that shot these bites of deliciousness clear over the top and has left us trying, unsuccessfully, to stop from eating an entire plate.

Of course I tweeted that information and within seconds, it felt like my entire stream was asking for photos, the recipe, anything that would give them a whiff of what we were eating.  Of course, I had to make it again just to be sure it was...um...perfect enough for you.

Right.  That's my story, anyway.  

Before I go any further, just to keep you all in the loop here-what is the difference between a yam and a sweet potato?  Some people say that they are interchangeable, but what is labeled 'yams' here at the store are far different than 'sweet potatoes' in texture and taste.  I LOVE yams, and hate sweet potatoes.  So which ones am I talking about?

They are BOTH sweet potatoes.  I know, I know.  You're scratching your head and wondering what the hell I'm talking about. 

Believe it or not, there are two different kinds of sweet potatoes-one is the tougher, more starchy and whiter fleshed kind that we here in North America call 'sweet potatoes', and the smaller, more orange colored, moister textured variety that we call 'yams'.  Both are sweet potatoes.  I prefer the dark orange variety for the moister interior and flavor, and that is what I used in this recipe.   

Still not sure? Check out this article by Bon Appetit, with a great photo of a true yam.

Sweet Potato Oven 'Fries'

Serves 2 people 

1 1/2 lbs orange sweet potatoes (often called yams at the store)
olive oil
Montreal Steak Spice (without salt)

Spicy Chipolte Mayo

1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp sour cream
2-3 tsp chipolte puree (*see note below), depending on how spicy you like it.  Try less and if you want it hotter, add more.
1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed

Pre-heat oven to 375 F and line a rimmed baking sheet with Paper Chef parchment paper.  I really love using the parchment here because I have some really nice rimmed baking sheets, and the last thing I want is sticky sweet potato stuff all over them that I may have to scrape off and ruin the finish. 

Peel and slice sweet potatoes into even sized chunks, or stick shapes.  I usually do mine into chunks, but I thought I'd try more for a fry effect for photos.  The point is, you want them to be uniform sized as much as possible so that they will cook evenly.

Toss the sweet potato chunks with a glug of olive oil-enough to coat them, and then sprinkle with some steak spice.  You can use whatever spice blend you wish, but I like mine peppery so this one works for me.  I  prefer the kind without salt because otherwise I find my fries too salty.   Toss so everything is nicely coated.

Turn the bowl out onto the parchment, spreading the sweet potato fries out to give them some room.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through.

While the fries are baking, stir together all the dip ingredients.  It may seem a bit hot but remember that when you are dipping the sweet potatoes in it, the sweetness from the potatoes will cut the heat somewhat.  Cover and put the dip in the fridge until the fries are ready, then serve immediately.

*Chipolte puree is easily made by buying a can of chipoltes in abodo sauce, then pureeing it in a food processor.  Spoon into an ice cube tray and freeze, so you can thaw a cube and use it to flavor all sorts of dishes.







This post is sponsored by Paper Chef, who generously sponsored my trip to Blissdom Canada!  Make sure to go check out their site for other fantastic recipes, videos, tips and trips on how to cook with parchment paper products.   I use their products all the time in my kitchen and find them invaluable for clean up and just making my cooking/baking life a whole lot easier!

Read More

Maple Glazed Turkey Meatballs

I love these meatballs. A sweet glaze and herbs reminiscent of Thanksgiving stuffing, they would make a really tasty appetizer at a party or sandwiched in a tiny bun with some lettuce and tomato. You could even serve them with creamy mashed potatoes and a salad for a quick family dinner.

I know the picture makes them look like they are uncooked, but as I have found out, meat is really hard to photograph! Trust me, they were cooked.  And they were delicious.

My favorite way to cook meatballs is in the oven, on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Paper Chef's parchment was the best here-it really helped to keep my pans clean and almost all the mess just went right into the garbage when it was time to do the dishes!  Also, baking meatballs keeps them a little healthier and lets you forget about them for a bit so you can go do something else.

1 small leek
1 tbsp butter
2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 tsp fresh sage, chopped
½ tsp salt
½ tsp fresh cracked pepper
1 lb ground turkey
¾ cup coarse breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp milk
1 egg, lightly beaten

Glaze:
¼ cup maple syrup
1 lemon
2 Tbsp butter

Pre-heat oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Wash leeks and sliced into thin rounds. Over medium heat, sauté the leeks in the butter until softened. Let cool slightly before transferring to a medium sized bowl. Add all other ingredients, then gently mix with your hands.

Scoop out mixture into tbsp sized portions and gently shape into balls. Set on baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring maple syrup, butter, and lemon zest to a simmer, stirring. The mixture should thicken slightly after about 3-5 minutes. Brush over the meatballs. Continue to bake the meatballs another 15-20 minutes, brushing occasionally with more glaze.The meatballs will be done when the internal temperature is 170 F.

Makes 4-5 main dish servings




This post is sponsored by Paper Chef, who helped send me to Blissdom Canada this month! I loved their products so much I suggested we team up and do a little cooking together. I love using parchment to protect my favorite cookie sheets while I'm whipping up these meatballs, as it keeps the mess to a minimum.  For more recipes, make sure to drop by their site-I especially love the sweet and spicy nuts. Yum!

Read More

Home made Pita 'Pizzas' with Arugula Lemon Salad

Inspired by watching Food Network, these arugula topped ‘pizzas’ are amazing. We left out the traditional tomato sauce and played with all sorts of toppings-sliced and seeded plum tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, thinly sliced fresh sweet peppers, mushrooms, and more.  The fun of these is you can top your own, then pile lightly dressed arugula on top, fold, and eat. Warm and cheesy yet a bit peppery with a hit of lemon from the arugula, it's an incredibly delicious way to get your veggies.  I didn't include formal measurements, because you can pretty much dig through your fridge and come up with whatever toppings work for you.   Leftovers are great, but I tend to pack the pizza and salad topping separate.  Also, don't dress the arugula until you are just about to eat it or it will wilt and be soggy.

Toppings:


Smoked prosciutto, sliced
Mozzarella cheese, grated
Fresh parmesan, grated
Sliced black olives
Garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
 Zucchini, thinly sliced
Roasted peppers, thinly sliced

Arugula topping:

baby arugula (about 340 g)
Lemon
Olive oil

Pita crust:
(adapted from Andrea’s no fail pita tortillas)

2 cups flour
1 tsp sea salt ( I often use less)
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup hot water

In a bowl, stir together the salt and flour.  Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Stir in the hot water until the mixture begins to form a ball, then turn out onto the counter and mix with your hands.  Knead about 4-6 minutes or until smooth, then cover with a tea towel and let rest.

Once you have allowed the dough to rest for 20 minutes, pre-heat the oven to 450 F.  Roll out each piece of dough into approximately 6 inch rounds, the set either on a baking stone or an upside down cookie sheet.  (yes, I know this sounds weird.  To be perfectly honest I’m not even sure why you use the back of the cookie sheet and not the actual baking surface). 

Transfer the rolled dough to the baking sheet-I can fit three at a time on a sheet.  Top with some of cheeses, and then follow with slices of proscuitto, black olives, roasted peppers, zucchini, and garlic.  Bake for about 5 minutes, watching carefully, until the bottoms are golden.  Remove to a wire cooling rack and let cool.  Allow the pan to cool before assembling the next batch of ‘pizzas’. 

Once you have baked each pizza and they are cooling, toss about 350 g of arugula in a large bowl with 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.  Zest the lemon right over top into the bowl, then cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice over top.  Sprinkle with salt and fresh cracked pepper, and toss until everything is well coated. 

Serve the pizzas with the dressed arugula mounded on top so that people can fold them in half and eat. 

Serves 4-6

Read More

Peach Ginger Muffins

 Although summer is over, I'm still finding peaches in the store and couldn't resist these tasty looking muffins.  Bits of spicy ginger, oat and whole wheat flour to make them healthy, and sour cream make these really tasty-but not overly sweet morsels.  I like them for breakfast with some yogurt.

 The recipe called for oat flour, which I didn't have on hand. You can, however, just put some rolled oats into your food processor and whiz them until fine. Also, make sure the peaches are on the firm side, or they will break apart in the pan.

Adapted from Good to the Grain

1 cup of oat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt 85 g butter (melted and cooled)
 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
3 tbsp crystallized ginger

Topping: 1 large peach, pitted and thinly sliced
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp freshly grated ginger


First, make the topping:  In a saucepan over low heat, stir together the unsalted butter, honey, and ginger. When it's warm and melted together, toss with the peach slices. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the butter, milk, sour cream, egg, and gingers. Stir the wet ingredients in the dry, stirring with a wooden spoon until just combined. Don't over mix! Spoon batter into greased muffin tins (or lined, I like Paper Chef parchment cups) and lay the peach slices over top, pressing them into the batter. Spoon some of the ginger butter over each muffin as well.

Bake the muffins for about 25-28 minutes. When you take them out of the oven, take them out of the muffin cups to cool so they stay crusty. These were good for about two days, and then the tops began to go a little mushy. Best to eat them right away!

Makes about nine muffins

Read More

Spinach Pie

The first time I ever made spanakopita, it was in a foods class with a group of grade 11 girls.  We were making the appetizer version, which had a lot of folding phyllo into tiny little triangles, this way and that.  I learned something valuable that day, and it wasn't that spanakopita is delicious.

I can't fold the $^%@ phyllo triangles, people.  No matter how I tried, it just wouldn't work-so spinach PIE is for me.  No folding phyllo!  Plus this pie is SO delicious, you can make it for your family and serve with a salad for a light lunch or dinner.  We loved it!  The leftovers re-heat nicely in the oven, too.  Don't let phyllo scare you off, this is really easy!  You can do it!

The bonus is that your kids will discover that spinach is DELICIOUS.

Adapted from Whining and Dining

3 packages of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and all the water squeezed out
2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green onion
185 g feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
4 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and fresh cracked pepper
3 large eggs
olive oil
8 sheets of phyllo pastry, thawed

Pre-heat oven to 375 F.

In a large pan, fry the onion and garlic in a little olive oil until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the green onions and fry about another 3 minutes.  Crumble in the drained and squeezed dry spinach into the pan and continue to fry a bit to get ride of any excess moisture.

Dump the spinach/onion mixture into a large bowl and set aside to cool.  When cool to touch, crumble in the feta, and add the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, parsley, dill, salt and pepper.  Beat the eggs in a small bowl and stir them in as well.  Set aside.

Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Lay one sheet of phyllo on the parchment, then brush it lightly with olive oil.  Lay another sheet of phyllo on top.  Continue, until you have used 4 sheets of phyllo.  Spread the spinach mixture on the phyllo stack, leaving about a 1 1/2 inch border around the edge.   Fold the phyllo edges up and over the sides of the filling, brushing them with olive oil.   On the counter, start another stack of phyllo-1 sheet, brush with oil, another sheet, brush again, etc until you have used four sheets.  When you are finished, pick up the stack and center it over the filling. Tuck the edges under the bottom of the pie, and brush the top with olive oil.  Bake in the very bottom rack of the oven for about 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.

Makes six servings

Read More

Tasty Five: The Blissdom Canada Edition, with Peach Ginger Muffins!

Next Wednesday, I fly off to Toronto on my way to Blissdom Canada for the second time.  Has a year really passed already?  This year, I am working with two amazing sponsors!  Both have great sites filled with all sorts of recipes, and are products that I use in my kitchen all the time. 

1.  Balsamic Honey Glazed Chicken Wings from Chicken Farmers of Canada

Yes, I know it's Thanksgiving weekend, and you are all likely eating turkey, but I can NOT pass these by.  They look just WAY too good.  Sticky and sweet, they would be just the thing for a party.  You could call them bat wings and serve them at a Halloween party!

2.  Cayenne and Lime Popcorn from Paper Chef

Who says you need to buy microwave popcorn with all those added chemicals?  Pick yourself up some parchment bags by Paper Chef and make popcorn at home yourself-this recipe adds some butter, spice, salt, and a squirt of lime-I couldn't stop eating it!  Check out the sea salt and chocolate or parmesan and thyme recipes.  I think I may just have to whip these up in my hotel room at Blissdom.

Photo credit: Simply Recipes

3.  Egg and Butter Free Chocolate Cupcakes by Simply Recipes

I am often asked for recipes to accommodate special diets, and so when I saw this I couldn't let it pass by without sharing with you.  I can only imagine how frustrating it must be around the holidays for those of you who struggle to find recipes that the allergic members of your family can eat.  This one is for you!  Head on over to my friend Alexis to get the skinny on her dairy free frosting, and her yummy dairy/egg free chocolate cake as well.

 Cranberry Farmers at the Zone for the 2010 Olympics

4.  Smitten Kitchen's Cranberries: Candied, Fruity, and Drunk

It's Thanksgiving weekend up here in Canada, and what is Thanksgiving without cranberries? Smitten Kitchen shows you three different ways to do it up right so that your turkey sandwich will not be bare. 





5.  Jamie is roasting turkey!  Okay sure, this video is from a Christmas special, but I enjoyed watching about the basic principals of roasting a turkey, and then some great recipes for leftovers.

What's on your plate this weekend?  Over here, it's not Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie.  There are still some peaches left at the store though, and these muffins are fantastic for breakfast.  Slathered with butter and spiced with ginger, they are something wonderful to wake up to.






The recipe called for oat flour, which I didn't have on hand.  You can, however, just put some rolled oats into your food processor and whiz them until fine.  Also, make sure the peaches are on the firm side, or they will break apart in the pan.

Adapted from Good to the Grain

1 cup of oat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
85 g butter (melted and cooled)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
3 tbsp crystallized ginger

Topping:

1 large peach, pitted and thinly sliced
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp freshly grated ginger

First, make the topping:  In a saucepan over low heat, stir together the unsalted butter, honey, and ginger.  When it's warm and melted together, toss with the peach slices.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the butter, milk, sour cream, egg, and gingers.  Stir the wet ingredients in the dry, stirring with a wooden spoon until just combined.  Don't over mix!

Spoon batter into greased muffin tins (or lined, I like Paper Chef parchment cups) and lay the peach slices over top, pressing them into the batter.  Spoon some of the ginger butter over each muffin as well.

Bake the muffins for about 25-28 minutes.  When you take them out of the oven, take them out of the muffin cups to cool so they stay crusty.

These were good for about two days, and then the tops began to go a little mushy.  Best to eat them right away!

Makes about nine muffins

Read More

Molasses Spice Cookies

Sweet and spicy, these cookies are perfect for fall.  I love how they aren't crisp like gingersnaps but rather delectably chewy and perfect with a cup of tea. In fact, I like them so much that faced with the choice of chocolate or these cookies, it's a hard decision.  Now that is saying something!  These cookies would make a great gift to a teacher or co-worker, tied up with a cute bow.  Plus they are so easy to make, kids can help with the rolling and dredging with sugar.

I like to roll them in sugar in the raw for some extra crunch.  You can use regular sugar, if you wish.


Adapted from The Cookiepedia


2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark molasses

Pre-heat oven to 325 F.   Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.  Give them a stir and set aside.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy.  Scrape down the bowl, then add in the egg and vanilla, mixing until incorporated.  Lastly, add the molasses and beat until combined.

On low speed, combine the flour mixture with the butter/sugar mixture in thirds, slowly mixing after each addition of flour mixture.  Scrape off the beaters, cover the dough with plastic wrap, and put in the fridge to chill for about 20 minutes.

Once your dough is chilled, roll out the dough in about 1 1/2 inch balls, then roll in sugar before placing about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.  You can use regular white sugar here, but I like Sugar in the Raw because it's more granular and adds a little texture.  Bake for about 10 minutes, until the tops are just set.  You can bake them a little longer for firmer cookies; ours turned out deliciously chewy when I removed them when the tops were JUST set.  Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for about a minute or two before removing to a cooling rack.

Store in a sealed airtight container on the counter for a few days, or freeze for up to a few weeks.

Makes about 3-4 dozen

Read More

Fall Veggie Tarts with Roasted Tomato Sauce

Full of late summer vegetables, these tarts are crazy delicious-but also pretty work intensive. I don't think I would have made them for dinner one night weeks ago had I really known how much work they were, from the sauce to the pastry and filling.  On the other hand, they were so tasty I would make them again for a special occasion, such as Thanksgiving.  You do need mini tart pans to make these, which I don't have-and upon realizing it, I improved with a large muffin tin.

Adapted from Fresh

Roasted Tomato Sauce: 

4 large ripe tomatoes, cut in half
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 coarsely chopped onions
2 cloves garlic (not chopped)
1 cup water
1 tsp sugar

Pre heat your oven to 450 F. Toss the tomatoes, garlic, and onions with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then put in an ovenproof dish. Roast for about 1/2 hour. Transfer to a small saucepan, and add water and sugar.

Simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes before transferring to a food processor or blender and pureeing. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. At this point, I found the mixture to be kind of watery, so I continued to simmer for about an hour until the mixture became thick. I also added some tomato paste (about 2 tbsp) to get it to the consistency I wanted.

Meanwhile, make your tarts.

Pastry:

3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tbsp cold water

Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt together in a bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture resembled coarse crumbs. Stir in the water with a fork until just combined, then turn mixture out onto a lightly floured counter and bring together with your hands, trying not to handle it too much. Let the dough sit and rest for about 20 minutes on the counter, covered. Divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece out to about 1/8 inch thick, then cut into a 6 inch circle. Set aside.




Filling: 

1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced onions
1 cup diced green zucchini
1 cup diced yellow zucchini
1/2 cup thinly sliced leeks
1/2 cup diced red peppers
1 cup green or yellow beans, thinly sliced
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
4 oz fresh goat cheese (I used one rolled in herbs)

In a pan over medium heat, heat up your olive oil and saute the onions and garlic until translucent and soft.  Stir in zucchinis, leeks, peppers, and beans, continuing to cook and stir until they are just crisp tender.  Remove from the heat and stir in the basil, parsley, and thyme.

Assembly:

The original recipe called for tart shells, but I didn't have the right sized tart pans.  What's a girl to do? I had already mounded the filling on the uncooked pastry!  Here's what you do:  If you have 4 inch tart shells, line them with the pastry, allowing the dough to extend past the edges of the shell.  Mound 1/2 cup filling into the tart shells, dotting with goat cheese.  Fold the pastry up and around the filling, tucking it in.

Now, what to do if you don't have tart pans?  I mounded the filling on the pastry, dug out my large muffin tin (not a regular sized one-too small!), and gently set the filled pastry into a muffin cup.  It didn't quite fit all the way in, which was fine-I tucked it on the top as best I could, pushing it down slightly-not all the way, which was fine-as the tarts cooked, they sunk farther into the muffin tin anyhow.

Bake tarts until golden and cooked through-about 20 minutes.

To serve the tarts, spread 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce on a plate, and set a tart in it.

Serves 4.

Read More