Pan-roasted Garlic and Onion Potatoes

This is one of those recipes that I have been making for years, but haven't ever taken the time to write the recipe down. It is one of those dishes that Ethan and I fight over who gets the last of the caramelized onions and garlic at the bottom of the pan. It is one of our favorites. And it isn't complicated and you most likely have all the ingredients on hand right now. Saute some onions, garlic and potatoes and then let the potatoes finish cooking in the oven. In the oven, the potatoes turn into these little butter sponges and soak up so much flavor. But you might have a hang up about how much butter the recipe calls for. If you do, cut it in half. It's okay, I understand. No hard feelings, okay?

Another reason to love this recipe is that the leftovers are great. I like to saute up the leftover potatoes in the morning and serve them with eggs and Tabasco. Yes, the Tabasco is essential. I am trying to teach my children to love the fire Tabasco creates within their souls.




2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 russet potatoes, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tbsp butter, divided
1 tsp kosher salt
A few grinds black pepper
1 tsp dried rosemary
Chopped fresh parsley or chives for garnish

Set oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet over medium high, add olive oil. Once the oil runs quickly in the pan, add the onions and 1/2 tsp salt. Saute until the onions are softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, garlic, 2 Tbsp butter, salt, pepper and rosemary. Toss well and saute potatoes until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Once browned, cut remaining 2 Tbsp butter into small pieces and set on top of potatoes. Cover the pan and put it in the oven for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are very soft. Serve potatoes with a sprinkling of fresh parsley or chives.

Yields 6 servings.

Served with this: Corn on the cob that was most likely grown in heaven because it tasted celestial.

Rookie's Notes: Let me go ahead of give you heads up on how hot the pan is going to be when you take it out of the oven. Hot as hell fire. You are probably thinking, "Duh. It just came out of the OVEN, idiot." But I have forgotten that it did and have grabbed the handle or lid and burned my hand really bad a few times. So be careful!

Deep-fried Green Beans with Basil Aioli

Text message series:

Kalli: I have mass green beans. You interested?

Me: Yes. I will call you in a bit.

Kalli: Sweet. I am picking them right now.

So I called her and claimed my green beans. She told me she had just picked them. How? I do not know. She was 36 weeks pregnant at the time. Bending over and picking green beans sounds nearly impossible. When I told her I was coming, I also mentioned that I was bringing her a big slice of chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. And she said with a sigh, "Let's get married." I suppose that chocolate cake is that satisfying at 36 weeks pregnant. Kal, does your husband know you just proposed to me?




For the aioli:
2 garlic cloves
1 egg yolk
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
10 basil leaves
1/3 cup olive oil

In the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic cloves and process until minced. Add egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard and basil. Process and add olive oil very slowly, drop by drop, until the aioli is emulsified and thick and smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate until serving time.

For the green beans:
Oil for frying
1/2 lb green beans
1 cups flour
2 tsp tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp chile powder
1 cups milk

Heat the oil to 375 degrees.

While the oil heats, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and chile powder. Whisk well to combine. Add the milk and whisk until smooth. Once the oil is heated, dip a few green beans in the batter and shake off the excess. Add the beans into the oil and fry for a few minutes, until the batter is golden. Remove the beans from the oil and onto a paper bag or paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining beans.

Serve deep-fried beans with basil aioli.

Yields 4 servings.

Rookie's Notes: When frying these, hold half of the bean in the oil until you can feel it float to the top. Then drop in rest of the bean you are holding. It will prevent the beans from going straight to the bottom and burning.

Also, don't be temped to load up the oil with too many beans. The more you add, the quicker the oil temperature will drop and you will get greasy fried food and not crisp fried food.

One last note, I added baking powder to the batter because I wanted a puffy, crispy batter. If that isn't your forte, don't add the baking powder.



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Sauteed Red Chard with Garlic

Most meals in our house include a muscle show. It's my latest way to get Jack to eat his breakfast, lunch and dinner. With almost every bite of fruit, bread or drink of milk, Jack shows me his muscles, which are growing with every bite. And Van has to show us his muscles because he is always wanting to do everything Jack is. So we oooh and awww over their lanky little, sun-tanned arms and how strong they are.


With this side dish, I didn't have to convince Jack of anything to get him to eat it. He went right for it, before the spaghetti. It was so nice to see him eat his greens without any issue. Chard packs in incredible punch of health benefits. I googled it and was so pleased. Click here to see why your family should be eating chard. I am going to do chard or some other green at least once a week, especially with summer being the season for greens.




3 bunches red chard
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
A few grinds of black pepper
Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano for serving

Fill your kitchen sink with cold water. Pull the leaves off the red chard and discard the stems. Roughly chop the leaves and put into the sink. Gently swirl the leaves around in the water. Once the leaves are clean, dry the leaves in a salad spinner in batches. Put the dry leaves in a large bowl and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Once the oil runs quickly in the pan, add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Pile the chard into the skillet and gently stir until the leaves shrink and lose their moisture. Saute until most of the moisture has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with Parmigiano Reggiano.

Yields 4 servings.

Served with this: spaghetti with marinara sauce.

Rookie's Notes: I made this a few hours before dinner and just reheated it in the microwave. It was just fine being reheated. Oh and BTW, when I say 3 bunches, I mean it. It's not a typo. Like spinach, these are going to deflate quite a bit. Like this entire bowl pared down to 4 servings.



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Pasta with Lemon and Fresh Herbs

This recipe is going to have two of my friends really jazzed. Ashley of Bird on the Lawn and Lindsey of Fresh Clean Start. It's a dish that is right up their alley. Pasta, fresh herbs, lemon juice and zest, Parmesan cheese, kosher salt, pepper and olive oil. And that's it. Simple, fresh summer side or entire meal. Not into pasta (Lindsey)? Use quinoa.


The pasta comes together so quickly. All of the ingredients are very simple and to the point. Tart from the lemon, freshness from the herbs and saltiness from the Parmesan. You don't have to manipulate the ingredients at all. Just put them in and let them do the work. See, look how simple.



When I say herbs, what did I mean? Whatever you want. I used some of each of the herbs in my little herb garden in my backyard. Basil, rosemary, thyme and mint. Yes, mint, don't be skeptical. Mint isn't just for gum. You might be surprised at the flavor it adds to dishes like this.




1/2 lb pasta
1 lemon, zested and half of it juiced
1/3 cup chopped fresh herbs
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp kosher salt
A few grinds of black pepper

In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta until al dente. Drain well and rinse with cold water to cool. Transfer pasta to a medium bowl. Add lemon zest and juice, herbs, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Toss well to combine. Serve at room temperature or cold.

Yields 4 servings.

Served with this: good ol' hot dogs. Nothing special. Who doesn't love a good grilled hot dog? And hot dogs seem appropriate for the evening. We were watching the Home Run Derby. Darn that David Ortiz. He is a machine. Why couldn't we have had a little Manny Ramirez? He would have won for sure.

Rookie's Notes: I live with a couple of lemon lightweights. They don't like things too lemony. So I only used the juice of half of a lemon. If you like lemon, add the other half of the lemon.


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Edamame with Bacon and Shallots

Jack has a neighbor buddy, who we will call Hannah. Hannah and Jack are both very imaginative. They like riding bikes and running through sprinklers. And Hannah is good at keeping Jack in line. "Jack, don't say that. It's inappropriate." She doubles as his mother.

Last week, after a rather industrious day of bike riding and cape wearing, Hannah joined us for dinner. Dinner was a simple pasta and green salad. In the salad were two of Jack's greatest enemies, tomatoes and cucumbers. But bless that little Hannah, she peer pressured him right into eating the tomatoes and cucumbers. "Come on Jack. They are good. See, watch me eat some. Now it's your turn." And he did. I just adore that little Hannah.

One vegetable that Hannah wouldn't have to pressure Jack into eating is edamame. The boy adores edamame. Ethan gave me the idea to combine two of Jack's favorite things- edamame and bacon. So this side dish was created. It is steamed edamame, crisp bacon and shallots and then a bit of acid with a splash of red wine vinegar. It's a vegetable side dish made hearty. If you can find it, buy the frozen edamame that steams in the bag. Way less cleanup.




4 pieces of bacon, diced
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 8 oz packages frozen shelled edamame, steamed
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
Splash of red wine vinegar

In a large skillet over medium high heat, add bacon, shallot and garlic. Saute and cook until bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add edamame, salt, olive oil and red wine vinegar.

Yields 6 servings.

Rookie's Notes: If you have leftovers of this, they reheat great. Just add a tablespoon of olive oil to keep it moist.


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Compound Butter Extravaganza

On my Formspring thingy, Erica asked that I talk about the compound butters I am into these days. Why not? So here are the butters I am into these days. All you do is combine all ingredients together and stir well. What can you put it on? Let's start from the very beginning, a very good place to start.

Steamed vegetables
Roasted vegetables
Grilled chicken
Grilled steak
Biscuits
French bread
Baked potatoes
Mashed potatoes
Shrimp and fish
Pancakes (kidding)

How do you store this stuff? You can obviously keep it in the fridge, but you can also keep it in the freezer. Roll it into a log (I hate using that word when referring to food) on a piece of waxed paper and then roll up the waxed paper and twist the ends to seal. When you are ready to serve, slice off however much you want to use, unwrap it and cut it into small slices. So if you have a perfect grilled steak, add a slice of delicious compound butter on top and then it melts and makes a great steak even better.

Anyways, here are a few of my little compound butter recipes. If you try them, let me know what you think.

Garlic Herb Compound Butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley

Chipotle Cilantro Compound Butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 chipotle peppers, seeded and minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tsp adobo sauce (from the chipotle pepper can)
1/2 tsp cumin

Chipotle Lime Compound Butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 chipotle peppers, seeded and minced
Zest of 1 lime
1 tsp adobo sauce (from the chipotle pepper can)

Lemon Herb Compound Butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Zest of 1 lemon

Roasted Red Pepper Basil Compound Butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 Tbsp minced roasted red pepper
1/4 cup basil, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced

Pesto Compound Butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup basil, minced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts, chopped

Grilled Asparagus with Roasted Red Pepper Aioli

Aioli: A really easy, delicious sauce that is often thought of as intimidating. At least it was for me. But it isn't hard at all, especially if you have a food processor. This aioli recipe is quite flexible. You can change out the red peppers for something else, like roasted garlic or basil, for example. And you can also change the vinegar. One thing I want to play with is adding horseradish. I can see that as being really delicious.

This was a dish I made a few weeks before I had the baby. It is one of the few things that came from my kitchen and it killed me. For some reason, the last few weeks before having Violet were really difficult. My body was just "done". The muscles in my thighs throbbed, my hips were weak and my back ached all the time. It was especially frustrating for me because I have had two other pregnancies that have been easy. But boy was Violet's a different story. Once delivery came, I welcomed it wholeheartedly. When I did cook before I had Violet, it would knock me out for the rest of the day. Luckily, I have a husband that can cook and he made sure the boys and I didn't eat Cheerios and buttered toast with honey all the time.

For the aioli:
1/4 cup roasted red bell peppers
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 garlic clove
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cup safflower oil

In the bowl of a food processor, combine roasted red peppers, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt, garlic, egg and egg yolk. Process until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the oil. The aioli will thicken. Scrape aioli into a small bowl and refrigerate until serving. Serve aioli along side grilled asparagus.

For the asparagus:
1 bunch asparagus, touch ends trimmed off
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
A few grinds black pepper

Set grill to medium heat.

In a large bowl, toss asparagus with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Grill the asparagus for 8-10 minutes, rolling over once, until lightly charred and tender.

Serve with roasted red pepper aioli.

Rookie's Notes: You will have leftover aioli. But it won't be hard to use. You can serve it over roasted potatoes or steamed vegetables. With my leftovers, I transferred all of it to a squeeze bottle and put it on a pastrami sandwich. Holy aioli delicious.

When a recipe says to trim off the tough ends of the asparagus, this is what I do. Hold one of the pieces on each end and bend it until it breaks. Where it breaks will be where the tender part meets the tough part. Use that piece to measure the others and cut them all the same length as the first one.


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Grandpa Clyde's Baked Beans

I thought I would post a food recipe, you know, considering I call this thing a food blog. Right now, I am sitting on the couch while Ethan watches the Dodger game and I try and ignore the wimpy contractions I am having. They are more annoying than anything because I know they will produce nothing. Wouldn't it be funny if I was wrong? Anyways, on with a recipe.


I like old family recipes. I like the recipes your Grandma Evelyn makes and the recipes from your Great Uncle Lewis. I especially like the recipes from my brother in-law's Grandpa Clyde. Plus, with a name like Clyde, you are destined to be prodigious.

Last fall, I took a road trip to Sparks, NV to sit on my sister's comfortable couches and eat chocolate cream pie. My brother in-law and I talked about food and he told me tales of these amazing baked beans from his Grandpa Clyde. So after a little e-mailing between his brothers, he was able to round up the recipe and send it to me. Fast forward six months and my other brother in-law graduates from the fire academy. My sister Caitlyn asked if Ethan would make some baked beans for the post-graduation celebration. And then that turned into me making them. Good thing I had a recipe on tap. Thank you Grandpa Clyde. We thoroughly enjoyed these.

The flavor is hard to pin point. All the ingredients have a lot of flavor on their own. Ketchup, molasses, bacon- all of those can stand on their own two feet. When they were combined together with creamy beans, it was a perfect party of smoky and sweet. A great addition to a grilled hot dog or hamburger. And besides these having a great flavor, they are a snap to put together. Not knowing your preferred method of preparation, I have included instructions for both slow cooker and stove top.



1 onion, diced
1 lb bacon, diced
2 31 oz cans Van Camp's pork and beans, drained
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup molasses
3/4 cup ketchup
4 tsp yellow mustard
1 tsp kosher salt
Splash of liquid smoke

Slow cooker instructions: In a large skillet over medium high heat, add onion and bacon. Saute until onion is softened and the bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes. Pour onions and bacon onto a paper towel-lined plate and drain off the fat.

In a slow cooker, combine pork and beans, brown sugar, molasses, ketchup, mustard, salt and liquid smoke. Stir in onions and bacon. Stir well to combine. Cook on high for 4 hours.

Stove top instructions: In a large skillet over medium high heat, add onion and bacon. Saute until onion is softened and the bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes. Pour onions and bacon onto a paper towel-lined plate and drain off the fat.

Set the skillet back on the heat and combine pork and beans, brown sugar, molasses, ketchup, mustard, salt and liquid smoke. Stir in onions and bacon. Stir well to combine. Bring bean mixture to a simmer and then turn heat to medium low. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Rookie's Notes: I made this recipe to feed a crowd. I doubled it and it all fit perfectly in the slow cooker.

Confession. I messed around with this recipe a bit. I omitted the barbecue sauce and the ground beef. My brother in-law is going to kill me. He said the beef was essential. And maybe it was. But I sure didn't miss it. And I waited to add the barbecue sauce. I just wanted to see how things melded once they were cooked. Honestly, I had plans to add it. The bottle sat next to the slow cooker, waiting for it's turn in the pool. But after tasting, I decided to leave it out. I think it would have just gotten lost in the flavors.

Also, the addition of liquid smoke is mine. Liquid smoke is kind of like a good luck charm. It seems to make everything taste good. Just a small amount and dish has a smoky flavor you couldn't get elsewhere. You can buy bottles of liquid smoke on the top shelf by the barbecue sauce and ketchup. Warning, don't open the bottle of liquid smoke and take big whiff. It will knock you out. Sniff gently.


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Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

My Easter dinner offering last Sunday was a giant bowl of these mashed potatoes. And dear family, you should know I slaved. I peeled and riced over 20 potatoes. My poor aching arms. I hope you people enjoyed these.

Riced? What could I be talking about? There is a tool called a potato ricer that can make all of your potato dreams come true. You will be able to make ideal, fluffy mashed potatoes with a ricer. Want a good potato ricer? Click here. This is the one I have.


If you don't have a potato ricer, no worries. You can achieve smooth potatoes easily. Coarsely mash the cooked potatoes with a masher or a fork and then smooth them out with a hand mixer. But careful careful, you don't want to overmix the potatoes. Overmixed mashed potatoes are gummy and not fluffy. I kind of balk at the title "Whipped Mashed Potatoes". Whipped means beating into submission. Beating until air has been incorporated and created a light texture. If you were to whip potatoes, they would overmix so easily and you wouldn't have light and airy potatoes. They would be a bit like concrete. Don't whip those darn potatoes! The less mixing you have to do, the better.

Another important element to this recipe is the roasted garlic. Roasted garlic is a lot like caramelized onions. Huge flavor impact with very little effort. A garlic bulb, a little olive oil, 2 hours in the oven and then you have some gorgeous, sexy garlic cloves, ready to take your potatoes to the next level.


While I was making these potatoes, I was eating jelly beans. And guess what I discovered? A lemon jelly bean and a spoonful of unseasoned mashed potatoes tastes like lemon meringue pie. And Ethan told me not to tell anyone that because people will think I am crazy.




1 garlic bulb
3 Tbsp olive oil
6 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup butter
2 tsp kosher salt
A few grinds black pepper
A small handful of chopped fresh parsley

Set oven to 300 degrees.

Cut off the top of the bulb and set onto a sheet of aluminum foil. Pour olive oil over the top of the garlic bulb. Wrap the foil loosely around the bulb and place on the oven rack. Roast for 2 hours, until garlic cloves are golden. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Once cooled, squeeze garlic cloves out of the the garlic bulb, discarding the garlic skins and bulb. Set roasted garlic cloves on a cutting board and with the flat edge of the knife, scrape the garlic cloves over the board, making a paste. Scrape into a small bowl and set aside.

Add potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil until potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour into a large mixing bowl. While the potatoes are boiling, add heavy cream and butter to a small saucepan over medium heat and melt butter, stirring occasionally. Once melted, remove from heat and set aside.

With a potato ricer or hand mixer, mash potatoes until smooth. Pour heavy cream mixture over the potatoes and add salt, pepper and roasted garlic paste. Using a rubber spatula, fold the potatoes over themselves, combining all ingredients. Be sure to not overmix. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Yields 4 servings.

Rookie's Notes: When testing a potato for doneness, take a chunk of potato out of the water and set it on the counter. Stab it with a fork and if it breaks apart easily, it's done. If the fork sticks in it, you need a few more minutes.

Huge garlic fan? Use two garlic bulbs in this. Roasted garlic has a mellower flavor than fresh garlic, so more garlic wouldn't be harsh, it would be decadent.

Basic Roasted Potatoes

This post is for my non-cooking sister Megan. So stop reading. Eavesdropping is rude.

Megan, here is the recipe you requested. I figured out the time and temperature just perfectly so that the middle of the potato is cooked and the outside is crisp. When I made these, Caitlyn was over and we devoured them. They were so good dipped in ketchup. Later on, I made them again for dinner and Ethan made a roasted garlic aioli to accompany them. Holy aioli, it was delicious. But you wouldn't like aioli. It's essentially mayo. Sorry.


Anyways, I hope this works for you. Try those fingerling potatoes again with this method.



3 russet potatoes
2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
A few grinds black pepper

Set oven to 400 degrees.

Cut potatoes into same-sized, bite-size pieces. Spread onto a baking sheet. Add olive oil, salt and pepper and toss with your hands, evenly coating the potatoes in oil and seasonings. Spread in a single layer. Roast for 45 minutes, tossing half way through.

Remove baking sheet from the oven and scoop potatoes into a serving bowl. Garnish with minced chives if desired.

Rookie's Notes: You can definitely change up the seasonings in this. Mrs. Dash brand seasonings are really good and I like them because there is no extra salt in it. You could also add a teaspoon of dried herbs. Like thyme, rosemary or oregano. But I usually just use salt and pepper. It's easy to forget that food actually has a taste and it tastes good. Potatoes don't need much done to them to make them delicious.

Lemon Herb Rice Pilaf

I still have lemons and oranges from Christmas vacation. So there are still recipes to come. Much to my dismay, lemons aren't just for dessert. Odd. I seem to forget that while planning out all my citrus recipes. There are so many of them. What I need is a sous chef. Someone who I can give all my good food ideas to and then have them make it for me. I just don't seem to have the time nor the resources to make everything I can think of.

On Saturday night for Ethan's birthday, Ethan and I went to Communal for dinner. We sat at the counter by the kitchen and soaked in the sights. Chef Joseph McRae was a delight to watch, as was his sous chef next to him. Chef McRae could just spout off orders and his sous chef would obey. How great would it be to have someone like that in the kitchen??? So great. Speaking of Communal, it was a major food orgasm. Everything from the polenta to the butterscotch pot de creme was exceptional. We even got a tour of the downstairs prep kitchen. People, they make their own pickles. And I got to have one fresh out of the brine. Just delightful.

While I wish I had a sous chef, I wouldn't need it with this rice. It was easy to put together and had excellent flavors. Yes, I could have used fresh herbs and believe me, I wanted to. But with it being winter and not having a patio herb garden at my finger tips, I used dry herbs. If you have fresh herbs or you want to spring for them at the grocery store, go for it. If you want to save money, use those dry herbs in your pantry.




1 lemon, zested and juiced, about 1/4 cup lemon juice
About 3 cups chicken stock
3 Tbsp butter
1 shallot, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
A few grinds black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 tsp dried rosemary
3/4 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried dill
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
Small handful chopped fresh parsley

In a liquid measuring cup, add lemon juice. Then pour in enough chicken stock to equal 3 cups. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add butter. Once butter is melted, add shallot, salt and pepper. Saute until shallot is softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 more minute. Turn heat to high and add chicken stock and lemon juice mixture, lemon zest, rosemary, basil, thyme, dill and rice. Stir until well combined. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, for 20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Fluff rice with a fork and stir in parsley.

Yields 6 servings.

Served with this: Braised kale. We also had rolls via my yeast whisperer mother. While still warm, split in half, butter and honey and yummy.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon and Orange

Today is New Years Eve. And this holiday can seem a little lack luster when you have small children. I sat up last night thinking of how I can make it significant in some way. And I decided on us all filling out a time capsule paper and we will open it in 10 years. We will answer questions like "Where do you see yourself in 10 years?" and "What was the funnest thing you did in 2009?" Jack's answers should be excellent. And I will go to the store and buy a bottle of bubbly, but only as long as the snow isn't too high. I think we have a foot and a half outside. Mothers of small children, how do you guys do New Year's Eve?


Calling all sweet potato lovers. I need your help in convincing Ethan that sweet potatoes are actually one of the most delightful vegetables ever to grace the produce section. He claims to not like them. I claim lame. So please, I need you to bear your testimony of the truth of sweet potatoes. Tell him how they make your insides tango. Tell him how you are a better person because sweet potatoes are apart of your life. And for heaven's sake, tell him that they are at the very best right now seeing as they are in season.



5 sweet potatoes, peeled, quartered and chopped
1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp kosher salt
A few grinds black pepper
2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Zest of 1 orange

In a steaming pot over simmering water, add potatoes. Cover and steam for 15 minutes, or until very fork tender. Pour potatoes in a large bowl. With a hand mixer, add butter and heavy cream and mix until butter is melted and potatoes are smooth. Add salt, pepper, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and orange zest. Mix until combined. Taste to check if additional salt is needed.

Yields 6-8 servings.

Served with this: Sweet and spicy oven-baked pork chops. I think I will post these soon. Delightful little chops, they were.

Rookie's Notes: After researching the best way to cook sweet potatoes to be mashed, steaming was the best option. Something about the starch content of sweet potatoes or whatever. With the size of the veggie steamer that I have, I had to do the sweet potatoes in two batches. But it didn't take long because with the second batch, I didn't have to wait for the water to boil.

Roasted Green Beans

First off, I thought I would show you what my backyard looked like the other day. Jack was thrilled and Van was suspicious. In the dinner prayer that night, Jack said, "Dear Heavenly Claus, thank you for this food. Thank you for the snow and Santa coming to bring us presents." The day after the snow storm, we headed to Wal-Mart for a coat and snow boots. Jack just couldn't stand not being able to go outside and enjoy the snow. Looks like we will be trick-or-treating in the snow this year.

Anyways, onto the food...

Ethan brought home some quality haricot vert from Sam's Club. I had plans to saute them and to have them with spaghetti and sausage meat sauce. BUT, the pan I would have sauteed these in was being occupied by the sauce. So I used the oven instead. And they turned out delicioso. While the water boiled for the spaghetti, these little verts roasted away.

You might think, "Oh hell, you are posting a recipe for a simple vegetable side dish." Well, I am. But hopefully this will give you an idea of how to jazz up your side dishes. These green beans were crisp and my little boys loved them. Steamed vegetables are succulent, but can be a little boring when done over and over again. So next time, roast your green beans and peak the interest of your family. Someday I will post a recipe for roasted carrots. You will want to slap those carrots for having the audacity to taste so exceptional.


BTW, I thought I would share my most favorite thing in the kitchen right now. Olive oil in a squirt bottle. I have seen a few chefs in TV do this and I love that idea. Ethan got 6 plastic squirt bottles at the restaurant supply store for about $2. Not only can you put olive oil in them, but sauces for dessert would work well. Ethan uses them for hollandaise and creamed horseradish. So get your behind to a restaurant supply store and pick up some squirt bottles.



1 lb green beans
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
A few grind black pepper
1 tsp dried basil
Parmesan cheese for serving

Set oven to 425 degrees. Spread green beans on a baking sheet. Pour on the olive oil. Sprinkle on the salt, pepper and basil. Toss with your hands to coat the beans.

Roast for 25 minutes, stirring half way through. Remove from baking sheet and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Served with these: spaghetti with sausage meat sauce

Rookie's Notes: Be sure to not over-salt the beans because the Parmesan cheese is salty by it's self.

Ethan's Grilled Artichokes with Chipotle Dipping Sauce

Have I ever told you about my husband? Yeah, you know he is funny and a good dad, but the poor guy has it harder than most. He has a rare foot deformity that causes him a lot of pain. It's gotten worse and worse over the years and now he has had to quit his favorite past time- golf. And it's a real crime because in his prime, he was a scratch golfer. Eventually he will be in a wheelchair and the thought of that is heartbreaking. But we have cried the necessary tears over it and we are pressing forward. Fresh courage take, right?


While he might not be able to walk much, he can still cook like the dickens. Here is one of his specialties. I swear they taste better every time he makes them.

When I pulled these off the grill, Ethan asked how they looked. I told him, "Dead sexy".

For the artichokes:
6 artichokes
1 Tbsp garlic salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp Tabasco
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
A few grinds ground pepper

Put the artichokes in a large pot. Cover with water and sprinkle on the garlic salt and add the 2 Tbsp olive oil. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Boil for 45 minutes, until a middle leaf pulls of easily. Drain water and set artichokes aside until cool enough to handle.

Once cooled, cut artichokes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the choke (click here for a diagram of an artichoke to know what the choke is). Put into a large bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the 1/2 cup olive oil, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire, sesame oil, Tabasco, garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk until well combined. Pour over artichokes and let marinate for up to an hour.

Set grill to medium high. Grill artichoke halves on each side for 3 minutes. Serve with chipotle dipping sauce.

For the sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3 chipotle peppers, seeded and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together. Cover and keep refrigerated until serving time.

Tomato Basil Bruschetta

This was made for my haircutting sister. Caitlyn does my hair and I like to compensate her in food. Like chocolate cookies and bruschetta. She did my hair last week and I do have to say it is pretty rad. I keep my locks long and dark brown. Ethan likes it that way. But because I felt the sudden need to bust out of the mother-of-two mold, I had Caitlyn add midnight blue streaks through out my hair. They are subtle and you can't see them on top, only underneath. So it's a little "Hey, I am a mom, but would like to think I am living on the edge" type of color job. I just needed something that wasn't an A-line and that wasn't what Sister So-And-So was going to have at church. And sure enough, I get all sorts of feisty looks from people. But Son One LOVES it and so does my husband and that is all that matters.


It took us three tries to get the right blue. The first two were at the salon and the third was at home. To wash the third blue out, I just took a shower. And wow, what a number that did. I was blue and so was my shower. I yelled for Ethan to come see and he said, as blue dripped down my bosoms, "You look like you murdered a smurf". And boy did I.


This is an essential bruschetta recipe. This is a lot like the guacamole in that is it very simple, fresh foods producing great flavor.



1 loaf French bread or baguette
6 medium tomatoes, chopped
20 basil leaves, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp good olive oil, plus more for brushing on bread (by good I mean the nicest extra virgin olive oil your store has. And make sure it's extra virgin. We don't want any slutty olive oil around here.)

Turn on the broiler. Slice the bread into 15-20 slices, on an angle. Set the bread slices on a baking sheet. Pour a small amount of olive oil in a bowl and brush oil onto the bread slices with a basting brush. Put under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool.

In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, kosher salt, balsamic vinegar, garlic and 2 Tbsp olive oil. Stir gently until combined.

Spoon mixture onto bread slices. Finish with a light sprinkling of kosher salt.

Served with this: This was lunch. We wolfed it down without a thought as to adding something else to our meal. But it could be an appetizer or a side dish.

Garden Veggie Saute with Garlic and Ginger

How's your garden doing so far? No garden? Okay, how is your neighbor's garden doing? Because I will bet they have shared some of their zucchini with you. Hopefully they will soon be sharing their tomatoes with you too. My friend Cafe shared some of her Roma tomatoes with me a week ago and they were the best tomatoes I have ever had. They were so red and juicy. I chopped them up and made bruschetta for my brother in-law and his mom so they had something to eat while my sister was laboring in the hospital. I do that kind of stuff. I make food for people because I have nothing else to offer. Most people receive gifts as a thank you for something. I make people chocolate cakes. Most people give new mom's clothes for their babies. I give postpartum meals. I might be poor, but at least I can give food.


Here is what you can do with your garden's bounty. The leftovers are good in scrambled eggs the next morning.



2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
3 ears corn, shucked and kernals sliced off
1 medium yellow squash, halved lengthwise and chopped
1 tsp kosher salt
A few grinds black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
10 fresh mint leaves, minced

In a large skillet over medium high heat, add olive oil. Once the oil runs quickly in the pan, add the zucchini, bell pepper, corn and yellow squash. Add salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes, or until vegetables are softened. Stir in garlic and ginger. Saute for 1 additional minute. Turn heat up to high and do not stir for 1 minute, so the vegetables can caramelize. Stir and let sit for 1 more minute.

Pour vegetables into serving bowl. Sprinkle on fresh mint.

Yields 6 servings.

Served with this: Ethan's chicken wings with Buffalo Wild Wings sauce. He bought a few bottles on his last trip to CA. They have the best wing sauce but the most obnoxious atmosphere. "Here have some delicious wings, but we dare you to try and have a conversation with your husband with 5 different games broadcasted on 5 different big screen TVs!"

Chipotle Peach Salsa

The perfect combination of sweet and spicy. The chiles add the spicy kick and the peaches calm down the heat. Since the chiles are seeded, the heat is tamed and adds just the right amount of zing in the back of your throat.

I have a recipe simmering in my head for salmon tacos. Sooner than later it will appear on the blog. I am thinking that this will be the salsa that accompanies them.

Open wide!

5 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 peach, peeled and diced
3/4 cup diced onion (red, yellow or white- whatever you have on hand)
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 Serrano chile, seeded and minced
1 Tbsp minced Anaheim chile
2 chipotle chiles in adobo, seeded and minced
1 tsp adobo sauce (from the can of chipotles in adobo)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir well to combine. Pour salsa into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 10-12 times. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate.

Grilled Garlic Bread

My little Son One likes to help in the kitchen sometimes, but it is always things he just can't do.

"Mom, let me see your knife. I will cut those onions for you!"

"I will pour the oil in the pan for you."

"I can turn on the grill for you."

No, you actually can't. But you can put the silverware away, get the napkins out and go wash your hands. When Jack asks to do things that are too mature for him to do, my answer is, "Not until you are as tall as Dad". That goes for most of the things he asks for, such as long kisses from girls, having kids, getting married, owning a gun, buying a train, flying a plane and grilling.



1/2 cup butter, softened
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 loaf French bread, cut into 14 slices

Heat grill to medium high

In a small bowl, combine the butter, basil, rosemary, salt and garlic. Mix with a rubber scraper. Spread butter onto one side of the bread slices. Grill bread slices for 1-2 minutes on each side.

Grilled Nectarines

Who said grilled fruit has to be a dessert? It certainly wasn't me. When I was looking around the internet for a method on how to do this recipe, I kept finding dessert recipes. But I wanted a side and that is what I did. You are more than welcome to do this with peaches or plums. I give you permission- but just this once.



Nectarines, as many as you want, halved and pit removed
Olive oil
Ground black pepper
Brown sugar

Heat grill to high.

Set nectarine halves on a platter, cut side up. Pour a small amount of olive oil (a few tablespoons) into a bowl and brush nectarine halves with the oil. Sprinkle on a small amount of brown sugar and add a few grinds of black pepper.

Grill nectarines, cut side down, until dark grill marks appear and the skin is hot to the touch, about 3 minutes.

Served with this: grilled flank steak, green salad