Book 116: The Sweet Potato Lover's Cookbook | Iberian Sweet Potatoes

by Lyniece North Talmadge

Sweet potatoes or yams? Oh the controversy. It is my understanding that the sweet potato is the firmer, stringy, lighter skinned potato, and the yam which cooks up softer, has the purplish hued skin. The book's cover shows what I thought was a yam.



After the potatoes have been par-boiled and cooled, they are cubed and simmered with sautéed onions (shallots would be good too), bay leaf, chives, salt, lemon pepper and sherry for about forty minutes - just until the potatoes have finished cooking. I did not have any lemon pepper, so I added a small amount of lemon zest.

Ready to be served! Easy peasy.

Sweet potato or yam, no matter really - they were delicious, and I so welcomed the leftovers the next evening when I got home late and did not want to make dinner.

This would be a welcome change (or lovely addition) to your Thanksgiving menu.

You can find the recipe by clicking here.

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Book 106: Eat Your Vegetables: Bold Recipes for the Single Cook

by Joe Yonan

A picture of this book popped up in my news feed on FB, and I knew I had to have it - I'm a sucker for a beautiful cover; I loved the rustic look of the cover photo of grilled asparagus. I popped over to Amazon to leaf through it and the first photo I saw was this galette. I wanted to make it right then and there.

I rushed down to my local bookstore to purchase a copy. As soon as I got home I plopped myself down on the sofa to read through it. Not only am I liking the recipes I'm reading, but I love his essays he has scattered throughout the book of his adventures of family farming, forgetting the clock (cook by smell/sight), a peek behind the scenes of that beautiful stand you swoon over at the farmer's market and more.

I enjoyed this book so much, I went back the very next day and purchased another copy for our daughter and dropped in the mail the same day. She thanked me, and informed me that she follows him on twitter. Mom scores!

This recipe would make a great addition to your Thanksgiving menu, as well as this book to your cookbook collection.

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You don't have to be single to enjoy this book!

This is the first recipe I have made (or come across) that uses the kale stems as well.

If the filling looks a little sparse, that is because I doubled everything but the mushrooms (I had, what I had..), and I forgot to add the kale. If I had made this with the correct amount of mushrooms, this could have been even better, and it was darn good as it was.

First layer of sweet potatoes (I used a yam). I should have started from the center and worked my way out, being the bottom will become the top when flipped. Yes, after cooking, the galette is flipped out onto a plate. You could serve it straight from the pan, but where is the fun in that?

Looks pretty, even without the kale.

Once realizing I forgot the kale, I gave it a quick sautée in a little oil until wilted, and all was well.

 Looks so beautiful I did not want to cover it up!

Cover the filling with the remaining slices of potato. After baking in the oven, you are instructed to brown the potatoes under the broiler to brown. I did, but next time I will skip that step. No need since the galette will be flipped onto a plate.

Fingers crossed.

 Whew! Only three pieces stuck to the pan. :)

Once the galette is flipped onto a plate, it is sprinkled with some green onion and toasted walnuts.

Meals like this make me think.. going vegetarian wouldn't be so difficult; but the hubby makes a mean grilled chicken, among other things.

I had this for lunch two days later - it was just as good, if not better.

An Oscar Party ~

It's all about the food! (And of course the drink, company, and that award show.)
 


I first saw these dangerously delicious "cheez-it-ish crackers" on a blog that I follow regularly, The Kitchen Lioness. Andrea, the author of this blog is an amazing photographer and writer. She is part of a cooking group (French Fridays with Dorie) that is cooking their way through Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table. I have this book - and good thing too, for this group does not post the recipes, just their results. Had I seen the recipe in the book before seeing her post I would have passed it up. The picture in the book does not do the crackers justice, not the way Andrea's does. I used her idea of shaping the crackers in the form of stars - it was the Oscars after all.

I was surprised by how much they taste like the name brand Cheez-It, only better. Made with butter and my favorite cheese, Gruyère, and a bit of pepper; what's not to like.

The recipe calls for Aleppo pepper which I could not find (did not put in a lot of effort) so I subbed cayenne which was an option in the recipe. Aleppo is not as hot as Cayenne, still I used the same amount.

 Source: Penzeys Spices

These are crazy easy to make and horribly addicting. Dangerous to have around - you may want to make these only when there are others to share with - or maybe not.

Success meter (1-3): 3 

These little crackers pair perfectly with a glass of champagne.

We always have an over-abundance of good food at our Oscar parties.

Cheese log w/crackers, Asian beef in crisp wonton cups, roasted sweet potatoes with aioli, and 

cheez-it-ish crackers.

Rice and cheese balls.

Focaccia with olive tapenade, broccoli salad, Mediterranean crunch salad, and three pizzas!


Photo credit goes to our lovely daughter who made the focaccia and olive tapenade.

Another equally delicious and fast recipe: Roasted sweet potatoes with a spicy aioli.

I roasted diced sweet potatoes tossed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper in a 400° oven until soft.

Mini coffee ice cream balls for dipping in chocolate fondue.
Half of the balls were rolled in ground chocolate covered coffee beans.

There are only three ingredients in the fondue: milk, cream and chocolate (a ganache), so be sure your chocolate is of good quality.

Photo credit: our daughter.
Thanks Ash - You saved the day !

Book Sixty-Four: Around My French Table

by Dorrie Greenspan


   Chicken in a Pot: The Garlic and Lemon Version



Tuesday nights are usually reserved for puzzle night with my sister. However this night she had of all things, a Christmas party to go to and my better half was out on a night ride. So what does one do when left alone? Cook something to post about of course!

I have said this before and I'm going to say it again; I love one pot dishes! Though technically this was a two pot/pan recipe being you have to brown your veggies and chicken first.

The ingredient list calls for 16 small white onions which my grocery did have but I thought the pearl yellow onions looked too cute to pass up. I should have gone with the slightly larger white onion for it was quite a tedious job peeling all those teeny, tiny pearl onions. One item my local market did not carry was preserved lemons, so I was going substitute a bit of lemon zest, which I forgot - not a problem though; this is one recipe you certainly can play around with the ingredients to your liking.

Success meter (1-3): 3

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ohhh the aroma! mmmm...

Looks like a pig!

I think my dough was a tad bit too wet.

Well... it certainly isn't as beautiful as the cover

recipe photo - good thing this not to be eaten!

Again - the aroma!

The crust forms a wonderful seal to produce

a fall-off-the-bone delight.

Bummer I forgot to buy french bread to

soak up the yummy juices!

Andy picking the bones clean

just like at Thanksgiving.

Thanks hon!

Now... hopefully after an overnight soak I   

will be able to get that crust off my pot.

Book Forty-Eight: Gordon Ramsay's Healthy Appetite

by Gordon Ramsay


          Sweet Potato Frittata with Tomato Salsa

I so wanted to rave about this dish! Not just because of my love for sweet potatoes, or this dish being healthy and uber easy, but beautiful!!!- we do feast with our eyes first!! However the flavor was just not there. Maybe kick it up a notch with some more fresh herbs, or add salt and pepper to the egg - definitely needs something.

I love his instuctions of handful of this, half of that, until I got to: add one shallot, minced. I don't know about you, but in my market the shallots range greatly in size. My one shallot produced about 2 tablespoons minced. Maybe I needed more to up the flavor.

Success meter: (1-3): 2

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Not romas - but vine-ripened nonetheless!

Thanks Mr. T!!

Why a picture of oil in the pan you ask?

Because it's cool - this my inner artist coming out.