Tag Archives: sauce

Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Skinny Horseradish Dijon Dipping Sauce

* Posted on by

10 Replies

Hi, friends!  It’s been a while since I’ve posted….  sorry about that!  Mr. Allie and I took the kiddos to Disney for a week!  It was so much fun and so exhausting!  Lol.  We had four days just outside of Orlando (one day per park: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom), and then two days were dedicated to travel.  It was a fabulous trip and we did it on a tight budget.  I’m thinking about maybe devoting a post to it if you think that’d be interesting???  We know lots of people who do Disney pretty frequently, and they plan everything to the nth degree, but the idea of that just totally freaked us out!  This was only my second time there since I was a kid, and I just had no idea where to begin.  Mr. Allie and I kept remarking to each other that it felt like such a rite of passage for us to be there with our children.  I think we may have been more excited about it than the kids were!  After having been there, and experienced what it was all about, we now know how we’d maybe do things differently, that is, plan it a little more.  Not that we had a bad time or anything!  It was truly a blast and the only possible improvement would have been to do less backtracking around/walking and riding more rides!

I had every intention of coming home and jumping right back on the blog train, but once we settled back in and unpacked/washed everything, I decided to take a little time just to recharge my batteries.  I think I really needed it!  Just before we left I was feeling like I was spinning my wheels, but over the last week I’ve gained a lot of clarity and a lot of inspiration.

One of the main sources of inspiration came from the folks at Chobani.  Shortly after we arrived home, we received a shipment that contained mass quantities of Chobani Greek Style Yogurt!  I’ve loved Chobani for a while now, and have used in it lots of recipes.  But now that my fridge is bursting with the stuff, I knew I needed to come up with some more great ways to use it.

Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Skinny Horseradish Dijon Dipping Sauce

I make oven fries all the time, and I especially love to do them with sweet potatoes!  They are super-nutritious (read more about that here) but I particularly love them for their flavor.  I always prefer to pair them with more savory flavors, to contrast with their natural sweetness.

Sweet Potato Oven Fries

If you toss the sweet potato fries with some heart-healthy extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle them with sea salt, and roast them on a lined baking sheet, they come out so crispy-caramelized and roasty!

Horseradish Dijon Dipping Sauce

They are perfect for dunking in this flavorful horseradish dijon dipping sauce!  I also add a little garlic powder and agave nectar, to fat-free Greek-style yogurt, along with a big bunch of fresh chives.

Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Skinny Horseradish Dijon Dipping Sauce

I just love how that sharp flavor plays against the caramelly sweet potato!

Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Skinny Horseradish Dijon Dipping Sauce

Print
Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Skinny Horseradish Dijon Dipping Sauce
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 4
 

Ingredients
  • 4 small sweet potatoes, scrubbed
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ cup fat-free Greek-style yogurt
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives
  • 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon agave nectar
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Cut the sweet potatoes into ¼” sticks and toss in olive oil and sea salt to coat.
  3. Arrange in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and roast for 20 minutes.
  4. Flip with a spatula, and roast for another 15 minutes, or until evenly browned and crisp.
  5. In a medium bowl, combine the Greek-style yogurt, chives, horseradish, Dijon, agave, garlic, salt, and pepper.
  6. Serve the sweet potato fries alongside the horseradish Dijon sauce, for dipping.

 

Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Skinny Horseradish Dijon Dipping Sauce

These make a great low-fat snack, especially at this time of year, when we are all looking for a way to slim down for the summer!

**Disclosure:  Although I was gifted Greek-style yogurt by Chobani, the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.**

 

Banana Cream Pie with Coffee Caramel

* Posted on by

12 Replies

I gotta be honest: when it comes to banana desserts, I am pretty touchy.

Banana Pudding?  Ew.  Bananas Foster?  Ummm, ok.  Banana Candy?  Gross.  Banana Muffins?  I’m game.

Mr. Allie recently put in a request for banana cream pie.

Ehrmagerd, NER….!

Gag.  Too much.  Too much thick, too much creamy, too much sweet.  I have never really had a banana cream pie I could really get behind.

Until this one came into my life…

Banana Cream Pie with Coffee Caramel

I think the whole key to this dessert is the coffee caramel.  I’ve posted about caramel quite a few times on this site, (see also salted caramel candies, salted caramel sauce, and salted caramel mocha), so I trust that I’ve gotten the point across: I really like caramel.

What makes this caramel different from all the rest is the addition of coffee.  Mmmmm, yeah…  It’s seriously good.

You know how caramel kinda has that roasty, almost bitter note to it?  And you know how coffee kinda has that roasty, almost bitter note to it?

Huh.  How ’bout that…?

**Like what you’ve seen so far?  Click on over to my new baking blog for the rest of this post!**

featured

Salted Caramel Mocha

* Posted on by

13 Replies

Doesn’t it just make you feel all special and happy when you are out shopping (by yourself!  yay!) and you grab yourself a little treat like that at a cozy little coffee shop?  I love those moments!  Sadly they are few and far between…

The other day was nuts, running around, dropping my kids here and there, stopping at Lowes, Carters, Target, Toys R Us for some birthday presents for upcoming parties, and grocery shopping on top of all that, trying to squeeze all of this in to the two-and-a-half hours I have to myself while my kids are at preschool.  By the time I got home with them, I was wiped!  And I still had yet to get started on cookies for an upcoming order.  I needed a pick-me-up!  The last thing I wanted to do was make another stop to buy my favorite salted caramel mocha treat…

Keep this sauce stashed in your fridge and you can whip up a salted caramel mocha in the time it takes to make your kids their afternoon snack!

Salted Caramel Sauce

1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dissolve the sugar, butter, and salt together in a deep pan.  When they are completely combined, and beginning to brown, whisk in the cream all at once.  It will boil furiously.  Take it off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.  Pour into a heat safe container to cool.

On a day when your butt is really dragging, place the following ingredients into the bottom of your favorite mug:

2 teaspoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons salted caramel sauce
1 shot of espresso

…and fill it the rest of the way up with milk.  Microwave for approximately 90 seconds on full power, or until hot and steamy.

(if you don’t have an espresso machine, just fill your mug 3/4 full with regular drip coffee, and top it off with milk, cream, or half and half)

You could even top it with some softly whipped cream, to make it even more special!

How do you like these Winter Woodland gingerbread cookies?

They were baked with Sweetopia’s Gingerbread Recipe, and inspired by this post.  I just loved her toadstools, acorns, and squirrels, and had to put my own spin on it!

I hope you get a free moment to treat yourself to something special this season.  Curled up under a snuggly throw, on your sofa in front of a toasty fire, with a Salted Caramel Mocha between your palms… it’s a perfect respite at this most busy time of year for us moms.

Enjoy the season and all the happy blessings it brings!  ;)

IMG_0615ed

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

* Posted on by

4 Replies

At this time of year, when the leaves have fallen from the branches, and it is brisk and cool and blustery, it feels so good to settle on the sofa with friends, gabbing and catching up, maybe watching a football game, with a fire crackling and roaring in the fireplace…

It feels even better when you have something simmering away in the crockpot, all rich and spicy, to warm you from the inside out.

This is one of my favorite winter recipes to feed a crowd.  It’s so hot and tangy, and I love it with a cheesy-creamy condiment to cool the fire.  It’s simple to make, and most of it can be done ahead!  Just keep it warm in the slow cooker, and you can spend all your time hanging with your friends and rooting for your team!

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
(makes 60 one-inch diameter balls)

For the balls:
2 pounds ground chicken
1 pound celery
1 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 egg

For the sauce:
2 12-ounce bottles hot sauce (such as Tabasco or Crystal)
2 sticks of butter
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Begin by hacking the root end off the celery and cutting the stalks into somewhat smaller pieces.

“mommy. mommy. mommy. look at the office jerk. mommy. mommy.”

Throw the whole mess into the food processor and chop finely.

Choppin’ Celery… I’m choppin’ celery… choppin’ celer-eye! choppin’ celer-eye!

Place all the meatball ingredients into a large bowl…

…and combine.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and get out your handy-dandy cookie scoop.  Scoop one-inch diameter balls into an oven-safe baking dish.

So much easier than rolling by hand! And it keeps them light and tender.

Bake the balls at 350 degrees for 30 minutes!

At this point, you can let them cool and place them in a food-storage container in the fridge or freezer, if you are prepping ahead.

I’m a big prepper-aheader.

On the day of your get-together, dump all of the sauce ingredients into the slow cooker and let it melt together.

When it’s all combined, add in your cooked meatballs.

While everything is coming up to temperature, I like to mix up a creamy condiment to cut the heat…

One jar of prepared bleu cheese dressing combined with 1/4 cup of bleu cheese crumbles.

These hot little numbers can be served on toothpicks as a nibble, or on a long roll as a sub sandwich.  They are sure to be a hit at your next party!

 

First of the Series: French Fries with Fun Toppings

* Posted on by

7 Replies

She has mastered the art of cheese and potato love.

As promised in a recent post, I bring you the first installment of a multi-part series on 2012 Food Trends to Try at Home!  Yay!

I have so many ideas banging around in my brain for the french fries, I am thinking that this category will end up being a sub-multi-part-series.  Confused yet?  Maybe I’ll just go balls-to-the-wall and make multiple installments for all five trends!  Let’s get crazy up in hurr!

Perhaps I’m getting a little carried away…  I’ll start out slow and first just give the basic method I like to use for french fries at home.  I make these a lot because my kids really like french fries (hell, who doesn’t, right?  Mama ain’t raisin’ no fools!) and I like to think these are a little healthier since they aren’t really fried.  I call it a method, rather than a recipe, because, really, there’s not much to it.  It’s a pretty common-sense kinda preparation but you just never know, maybe it might spark something for you and then you can be all full of fun foodie ideas like me!

A side note in defense of potatoes:  They really got a bad rap in the late ’90′s/early 2K’s with the low-carb craze.  Fact is, they offer a lot of nutritional benefits.  They are low-cal and high fiber, offer lots of vitamins C and B6, phytochemicals, iron, copper, and other trace minerals, and they are particularly good for cardiovascular health.  So feel good about oven fries!

You can do these just salted and dipped in ketchup for a classic prep, but today I am going to show you my take on that familiar classic we all know and love:

Crab Fries!

(Don’t worry, nerds, I have some more creative and innovative ideas up my sleeve too.  Stay tuned, I’m just trying to pace myself here!)

…the humble potato… so unassuming yet so soul-satisfying!

Figure about one to one and a half potatoes per person, depending upon the size of the potato, and also upon how hungry you are.  A lot of what I’ve read/heard has led me to believe that starchy russet potatoes are the only way to go for something like this, but, I can report with authority, based on tireless research, that waxier potatoes like yukon golds work equally well, if not better, as do red bliss.  So please, just use whatever you have on hand; you really can’t go wrong.

Crank your oven to 425 degrees and get out your biggest sheet pan.  Line it with parchment.

(Can someone please buy me a clue about my sheet pan/parchment situation?  Why does the parchment never fit the pan?  Am I buying the wrong parchment?  Or do I have some kind of wierd, Canadian-size pans?  I need some help here…)

Slice your potatoes and then cut them into fries.  (I don’t bother peeling them.  I think this somehow makes them healthier.  I must have heard somewhere that the peel has a lot of vitamins and minerals… also it tastes good.  More potato-y.)  Try to keep the size uniform unless you are one of those free-spirited hippie-types who likes a different degree of doneness for every fry.  (Hey, that’s one way to keep life exciting!)

Toss them into a big bowl and drizzle them with enough olive oil to coat them.  Sprinkle with as much crab seasoning as you like and toss them around so they get all slick with oil and crabby all over.

Tumble them onto the baking sheet and arrange them in one even layer.  Try to give them some room to breathe so the heat can circulate around each fry and they crisp rather than steam.  Mine are actually more crowded than I like.  If you are doing even a slightly bigger batch than this you should probably use more than one pan.

Put them in the oven for about 20 minutes or until you see that they are getting brown on the bottom.

…these bad-boys are ready for a flip…

Flip them around with a spatula so the other side gets brown, too, and roast for another 15 minutes or so.

Serve with cheese sauce, recipe follows:

Cheese Sauce

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Melt the butter in a saucepan, then sprinkle the flour over it…

and stir together.  You get a wierd paste, known in the food nerd realm as “roux” (rhymes with “woo-hoo!).

Slowly whisk in the milk until there are no lumps.  As the mixture comes to a simmer, you will notice it becoming thicker.  Now you have a bechamel.

Add in the mozzarella…

stir and melt it in, season, and you have a sauce mornay.

Whew!  Three food-nerd-vocab-terms in one quick recipe!  I think that’s a record for me…

So now you have a healthier take on that spicy, cheesy delight of sporting-event glory, and you can enjoy it in the comfort of your own home, any time your heart desires.

Keep the oven fry recipe in your back pocket, we’ll be referring back to it in upcoming posts featuring more fun toppings that are original, innovative, creative, and of course, delicious!

Click here for the Intro to the Series
Click here for the Second of the Series
Click here for the Third of the Series