Multigrain Pasta with
Sweet Potatoes & Leeks
Serves 4
12 ounces multigrain penne pasta
2 tsp. olive oil
3 leeks, sliced and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 c. fresh sage, chopped
2 small sweet potatoes, or butternut squash (1 lb)peeled and cut in 1/2 inch pieces.
salt and pepper
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped, toasted almonds (optional)
Cook the pasta according to the directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring until softened for about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sage and cook 2 more minutes. Add the sweet potato, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of pepper and cook, covered, stirring twice until just tender for about 6-8 minutes. Stir in reserved cooking water and simmer, stirring until potatoes are fully tender, about 2-4 minutes. Add the cooked pasta and nutmeg and toss. Divide among individual bowls and sprinkle with toasted almonds.
5 Ingredient Lemon & Lavender Tea Cookies
You will need:
1 box lemon cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbs. dried lavender
granulated sugar
Preheat oven to 350
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Roll the dough into 1" balls
and then roll in the granulated sugar. Bake for 12 minutes. Makes 24
cookies.
Think Spring!
I decided to post this recipe because it was a big hit tonight. It was so good we actually polished off the entire bowl before halftime... Yum! I also wanted to share a picture of my vintage popcorn popper. I found at a thrift store a few years ago for only $2 and love it! Just add some oil & popcorn kernels, then turn the handle as it starts to pop. It makes the best popcorn ever!
Caramel Corn
Ingredients
• 7 quarts plain popped popcorn
• 2 cups peanuts (optional)
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup margarine
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
1. Place the popped popcorn into two shallow greased baking pans. You may use roasting pans, jelly roll pans, or disposable roasting pans. Add the peanuts to the popped corn if using. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, margarine and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring enough to blend. Once the mixture begins to boil, boil for 5 minutes while stirring constantly.
3. Remove from the heat, and stir in the baking soda and vanilla. The mixture will be light and foamy. Immediately pour over the popcorn in the pans, and stir to coat. Don't worry too much at this point about getting all of the corn coated.
4. Bake for 1 hour, removing the pans, and giving them each a good stir every 15 minutes. Line the counter top with waxed paper. Dump the corn out onto the waxed paper and separate the pieces. Allow to cool completely, then store in airtight containers or resealable bags.
Herb Crusted Flank Steak
The best steak recipe in all the land...
(Makes enough herb rub for 2-1.5lb steaks)
Marinate steaks in Kikkoman Teriyaki Glaze (overnight is best), or at least a few hours to tenderize flank steak.
In a food processor combine the following and pulse until combined:
1/4 C. Dried Rosemary
1/4 C. Minced Garlic
2 Tbs. Dried Parsley
1 Tbs. Kosher Salt
1 Tbs. Black Pepper
Remove steaks from marinade and rub each side with a generous amount of herb rub. Cook on a hot grill or broil in the oven on high for about 5 min. on each side until desired doneness.
Tostones: Crispy Fried Plantains Recipe
If you have ever eaten at San Chez in downtown Grand Rapids, (our favorite restaurant) you may have tried their Tostones, or Twice Fried Plantains. For those of you who have never tried them, Plantains are found in the produce section and look like large green bananas. The secret to making the crunchiest and best tostones is to pick the largest and greenest plantains. Plus, you must double fry the slices. Tostones can be served with rice and beans, but at our house we like to sprinkle them with coarse salt while they are still hot and serve them with salsa.
Crispy Fried Plantains
4 plantains, (as green as you can find them)
Salt
Vegetable Oil
Peel the plantains and slice them into 1" rounds. (Holding them under warm running water helps loosen the peel). Place the slices in a bowl of warm, salted water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Fill a large frying pan with enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan and heat to medium-high. Working in batches, fry as many plantain slices as will fit into one layer until they begin to turn golden. Remove plantains from pan and drain on paper towels. On a cutting board, flatten each slice by covering with small plate or the back of a spatula and press down as hard as you can, (the thinner the slices, the crunchier the tostones). Fry the flattened slices again until golden brown and crispy. Place on paper towels again to drain as you remove them from the pan. Salt to tast and serve right away.
