Sweet Potato Casserole

Potatoes:
2 ¼ lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 cup half and half

¾ cup packed brown sugar – plus one extra scoop

1 tsp salt

2 tsps vanilla extract

2 large eggs

Cooking spray

Topping:
2 cups miniature marshmallows (or enough to cover all of sweet potatoes)

½ cup all purpose flour

¼ cup packed brown sugar – plus one extra heaping scoop

¼ tsp salt

2 Tbps chilled butter cut into small pieces

½ cup chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat oven to 375°

To prepare potatoes, place potatoes in a Dutch oven and cover with water

Bring to a boil

Reduce heat and simmer 20 mins or until very tender

Drain and cool slightly

Place potatoes in a large bowl

Add half and half, ¾ cup plus extra scoop of brown sugar, 1 tsp salt, and vanilla

Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth

Add eggs and beat well (mixture will be thin)

Scrape mixture into a 13x9” pan coated with cooking spray

To prepare topping, sprinkle marshmallows over top of casserole

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife

Combine flour, ¼ plus extra heaping scoop of brown sugar and ¼ tsp salt in a medium bowl

Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal

Stir in pecans and sprinkle over potato mixture and marshmallows

Bake at 375° for 30 mins or until golden brown

Yield: 16 servings

You can make the potatoes a day before, refrigerate and make topping next day.

Basil Parmesan Dip

Ingredients:
1 cup lightly packed basil leaves (about 1/2 oz)
3/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
2 tsps lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt & pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to food processor or blender
Process until smooth
Serve with pita chips/crackers

Yukon Gold Potatoes with Clarified Butter

This makes a great side dish for meatloaf.

Clarified Butter:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter

Place butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat; cook 5 minutes or until completely melted
Skim solids off the top with a spoon; discard solids
Slowly pour remaining butter out of pan, leaving remaining solids in pan; discard solids
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Yukon Gold Potatoes:

Ingredients:
3 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup clarified butter
2 Tbsps chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

Place potatoes in a saucepan; cover with water
Bring to a boil
Reduce heat; simmer 2 minutes
Drain and let stand for 2 minutes
Heat Clarified Butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat
Add potatoes to pan; reduce heat to medium, and cook 20 minutes or until tender and browned, stirring occasionally
Stir in parsley and remaining ingredients; cook 30 seconds

Black Bean Salad

Ingredients:
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 Tbsps lime juice
2 Tbsps chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; toss well to coat

Spiced Potatoes & Green Beans

A delicious side dish, recipe found in the September 2009 Cooking Light.

Ingredients:
1 tsp chili seasoning

2 Tbsps canola oil

1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds

1 cup finely chopped onion

2 tsps minced garlic

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp minced, peeled fresh ginger

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1 lb Yukon gold potatoes cut into 1/2" pieces

1/2 cup water

3/4 tsp salt

8 oz green beans, trimmed & cut into 1" pieces

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat

Add mustard seeds to pan; saute 30 seconds or until seeds begin to pop

Add onion; saute 2 mins or until lightly browned

Stir in chili seasoning, garlic, cumin, coriander, ginger, & turmeric; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly

Stir in potatoes; cook 2 mins

Add 1/2 cup water & salt, & bring to a boil

Reduce heat to medium-low & simmer covered 8 mins or until potatoes are tender

Add beans; cover & cook 5 mins or until beans are crisp-tender

Chipotle Rice & Beans

A great side dish to accompany chicken. Easy to make & courtesy of a Woman's World magazine I found in the work break room.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup uncooked rice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp Tabasco chipotle pepper sauce
1 tsp ground cumin
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed & drained
1 (2 oz) jar pimientos
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro *optional

In a pot melt butter over medium heat
Add rice, garlic, hot sauce, & cumin
Cook, stirring, 1 min
Add broth; bring to a boil
Reduce heat to low; cover
Cook until rice is tender & liquid is absorbed, 15-20 mins
Stir in beans, pimientos, green onions, & cilantro
Transfer to a serving bowl

*I didn't use the cilantro because my husband doesn't like it & this dish tasted great!

Chinese Coleslaw

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz) bag coleslaw
4 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 (3 oz) packages of Top Ramen noodles, chicken flavor
1 (5 oz) can chicken chunks
1/2 cup salad oil
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
Spice from ramen soup

Toss together coleslaw & sliced green onions
Toast almonds, sesame seeds, & ramen noodles until golden
Mix oil, sugar, pepper, & spice from ramen soup; add to coleslaw mix*
Toss in toasted almonds, sesame seeds, ramen noodles, & chicken*

* I don't add the dressing, almonds, sesame seeds, & ramen noodles until about 30 mins before I serve the salad - this prevents the salad from looking too wilted. If I am making this for an office party (which I usually am), I mix the coleslaw, green onions, & chicken together the night before. I put the toasted almonds, sesame seeds, & ramen noodles in a bag, mix the dressing up & place it in a separate container. I then toss all ingredients together the next day.

Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients:
1 bag raw hash browns (I use Simply Potatoes - shredded hash browns)
1 small can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup melted butter
salt & pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups grated cheese (I used sharp cheddar & colby jack)
Corn Flakes

Butter a 9"x13" pan
Put a thick layer of raw hash browns on bottom
Mix together the soup, sour cream, melted butter, salt, pepper, onion, & cheese
Pour over hash browns; add crushed Corn Flakes on top
Bake at 350º for 1 hr 15 mins

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
4 lb potatoes
1 head garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup sour cream
4 Tbsp butter
milk or cream, if needed
salt
pepper

Cut top off of garlic head, drizzle with olive oil, loosely wrap in foil
Roast in 400° oven until garlic cloves are soft & lightly carmel colored (40 mins - 1 hr)
Allow garlic to cool & remove the cloves from the skin - this can be done several days ahead & refrigerated
Peel & boil potatoes in salted water
Heat butter & milk or cream over low heat until butter is melted and cream is warm
Use potato ricer or potato masher to rice/mash potatoes & garlic at the same time
Combine potatoes, sour cream, butter, salt, & pepper
Whip at medium speed until smooth
Add more milk or cream as needed

Yield:
4 servings

Easy Roasted Red Potatoes

Ingredients:
3 medium red potatoes, quartered
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp paprika
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped (optional)

Heat oven to 325º
Put olive oil, onion powder, garlic salt, pepper, & garlic cloves in a Ziplock bag (I use the gallon size)
Put potatoes inside bag & shake bag to flavor the potatoes
Place potatoes in a 9x9x2 greased pan
Bake covered in oven for 45 mins
Stir potatoes & bake uncovered 10-20 mins more or until potatoes are tender & brown on the edges

Doña Carmen's Garlic Rice

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
2 cups uncooked long-grain rice
6 garlic cloves, crushed
3 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 tsp salt

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat
Add rice and garlic to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently
Stir in 3 1/4 cups water and salt; bring to a simmer
Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed
Fluff with a fork before serving

Yield:
8 servings (serving size: about 2/3 cup)

Nutritional Information:
CALORIES 180(6% from fat); FAT 1.2g (sat 0.2g,mono 0.7g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 3.4g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 17mg; SODIUM 443mg; FIBER 0.7g; IRON 2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 37.7g

Broccoli with Red Pepper Flakes & Toasted Garlic

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
6 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup water

Heat olive oil in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat
Add broccoli, kosher salt, crushed red pepper, and sliced garlic
Sauté 2 minutes
Add 1/4 cup water
Cover, reduce heat to low, & cook for 2 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender

Olive Oil Glazed Potatoes

Ingredients:
1 lb russet (baking) potatoes (about 2)
1 1/4 cups water
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp salt

Peel potatoes & halve lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/8" slices
Combine potatoes with water, oil, garlic, & salt in a 10" nonstick skillet & bring to a simmer
Cover skillet and briskly simmer, shaking skillet occasionally, until potatoes are tender & most of the water is absorbed, 10-12 minutes

Marinated Heirloom Tomatoes with Tarragon

Ingredients:
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 lbs (about 6 medium) heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1/4" slices
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Combine first 4 ingredients (through extra virgin olive oil) in a bowl, stirring well
Arrange tomatoes on a platter
Sprinkle tomatoes evenly with salt & pepper; drizzle with shallot mixture