Vegetable Fries

After tonight's dinner I feel it my duty to spread the word about how delicious rutabaga is for all of you who have never tried it (like me). My kids loved these fries. I couldn't stop eating them and had a hard time reserving some for my husband for later tonight.

Vegetable Fries (Real Simple Magazine, December 2010)

1 small rutabaga (1 pound), peeled and cut into 1/2" thick sticks
4 medium carrots (1/2 pound), peeled and cut into 1/2" thick sticks
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper

Heat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the rutabaga and carrots with 2 tablspoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast, tossing once, until golden brown and tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Serve with a big, juicy, sloppy burger!

Sweet Potato and Turkey Shepherd's Pie

A different take on the traditional Shepherd's Pie. I made this yesterday for the first time and loved it. Sometimes there is nothing better than some good old comfort food!


4 strips thick-cut bacon, roughly chopped

2 carrots, peeled and grated

2 celery stalks, chopped

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 medium (about 2 1/2 pounds) sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/2 pounds ground, lean turkey
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
10 ounces frozen peas
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken stock
2 - 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 425. Cover sweet potatoes with water in a medium pot and add a bit of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are fork-tender. When cooked, drain and return to pot. Mash lightly with a potato masher and stir in about 1/4 cup of the gravy (see below). Salt and pepper to taste.

While potatoes are cooking, in a large saute pan, brown bacon until almost crispy. Add carrots, celery, onion and garlic and saute until barely tender. Add seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. Add turkey to the mixture and brown until cooked through.

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook about 1 minute. Pour in the chicken stock and the Worcestershire sauce and whisk occasionally for a few minutes until thickened. Salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the gravy mixture into the vegetable/turkey mixture along with the peas (I didn't want to use all the gravy so I ended up only using about half of it) and remove from heat. Pour into a casserole dish and spread the top with the sweet potatoes. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese on top and set on a cookie sheet, to catch any drippings. Set in the oven and cook for about 8 minutes until heated through and the cheese is melted. You can also turn on the broiler for the last few minutes to get a bit of a crust on top.

Steak Fajitas with Sweet Potato and Poblano

This recipe is delicious. I suggest you double the yummy sauce- you won't regret it. My family had real fajitas in tortillas, however I put the meat and veggies over crispy romaine lettuce as the recipe suggested can be done with leftovers.

Steak Fajitas with Sweet Potato and Poblano (Real Simple Magazine, November 2010)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into ¼” pieces
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 ¼ pounds skirt steak, cut into 4 pieces
½ cup sour cream
1 to 2 teaspoons chopped chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (you can find it at Karns)
8 small tortillas, warmed (or serve the steak and potatoes over crispy romaine lettuce)

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sweet potato, onion, poblano, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, heat broiler. Season the steak with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Place on a baking sheet and broil for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing. (I simply sauted the meat in the same skillet after removing the potatoes) In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and chipotles. Fill the tortillas with the steak, vegetables and chipotle sour cream.

almost healthy cake

This cake is super easy to make, delicious and almost healthy

1 cup soft margarine

1 cup sugar (I've used Splenda and it's just as good)

1 cup flour

1 cup oats

1 cup chopped dates

1 cup chopped chocolate

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

Mix it all together and bake on parchment paper in a tall cake form

Bake for 30-35 min. @ 350 F

Served warm - with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for a great dessert.

It's great for dinner parties as you can make the batter ahead and keep it in the fridge until you bake it.