Virtual Book Club

I've been saving this book for a special treat, as A Thousand Splendid Sons and The Kite Runner were both phenomenal. Last night, I needed a little pick me up, and downloaded this book on my Kindle for a steal at $6.49. 

books on my radar: 
 - The Goldfinch by Donne Tartt
 - The Pecan Man by Cassie Dandridge Selleck
 - Someone by Alice McDermott

What are y'all reading? 

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Parmesan and Cilantro

As I've grown into my later twenties, I've realized the importance of celebrating the big and the little achievements in life. For instance, something as small as taking an amazing photograph, following a resolution to wake up a little earlier, making the perfect cup of coffee in a french press, or living an entire day without complaining. These little things deserve to be recognized and celebrated.  

Tonight, we are celebrating that I have finally learned how to make a crunchy sweet potato fry without a deep fryer! I have tried many times before, and they have turned out soggy and disappointing. I decided to have another go at the elusive crunchy french fry, and after I did my research the secret is cornstarch and not overcrowding your pan by not letting any of the fries touch in the oven. 

If you live in Roanoke and have not enjoyed sweet potato fries, I highly recommend Blue 5, Wasena City Tap Room, and Three Lil Pigs BBQ in Daleville. 

Baked Sweet Potato French Fries with Parmesan & Cilantro
from Sally's Baking Addiction

Sweet potatoes (1 per person)
2 tsp cornstarch per large potato
1 Tbsp olive oil per large potato
Cayenne pepper and salt
Parmesan cheese, finely grated (optional)
Cilantro, roughly chopped(optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat, 1 potato per baking sheet.

Wash and peel the potatoes, and cut off the ends. With a sharp knife, cut the potatoes into thin slices about 1/4 inch wide. Place in a ziplock bag and toss with cornstarch. Pour the potatoes into a strainer to get rid of any extra cornstarch. Place potatoes in a large mixing bowl and add the olive oil and seasonings of choice. Line the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet, and do not crowd them or allow two pieces to touch. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and flip. Place back in oven for 10-15 minutes, and rotate the pan to avoid uneven browning.

Turn the oven off completely and crack the oven door open.  Keep the fries inside as the oven cools down for 15-30 minutes. This step will help the fries get crispier. Top with parmesan and cilantro prior to serving.  

Sriracha Sour Cream Dip 
 
1 cup reduced fat Sour Cream
2 Tablespoon Sriracha sauce or to taste

Directions:
Combine, mix well and adjust to spiciness preference.

Cajun Sliders

New Orleans is one of my favorite cities in the world. Just think of the music, the Cajun cuisine, Mardi Gras,  Pat O'Brien's famous hurricane, Beignets, and the infamous Bourbon Street. 

Since it's cold outside and a great time of year to bundle up indoors and watch movies, Josh and I decided to watch the documentary Jazz by Ken Burns. I've seen it before at my dad's recommendation, and it's incredible. 

Going along with the theme, I decided to pair our New A'wlins evening with Cajun sliders and hurricanes. 

Cajun Sliders

1 pound lean ground beef
3 Tbsp dry bread crumbs
1 egg
3 green onions, chopped
1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning (Tony Chachere)
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 onion, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
Grated cheddar cheese
Mini Brioche Buns
Remoulade Sauce (recipe below)

Make the remoulade sauce in advance and refrigerate. 

Preheat the grill or grill pan. In a medium bowl, mix the ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, green onions, 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, and mustard. Form 8 small patties.

Saute the onions and bell peppers in olive oil until soft and set aside.

Lightly oil the grill, and cook patties 3-4 minutes per side or until well done. Place a little cheese on each burger and allow to melt.Place burger on bun and top with bell pepper and onion mixture, and a spoonful of remoulade sauce. Serve warm.


Remoulade Sauce
from Simply Recipes

1 1/4 cups mayo
1/4 cup mustard (preferable creole)
1 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning
2 tsp prepared horseradish
1 tsp pickle juice
1 tsp Tabasco sauce 
1 large garlic clove, minced and smashed

Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl. The remoulade is better if left for a few hours to let the flavors meld. Keep refrigerated.  

the Roanoke Hurricane

It's two degrees outside right now, and we spent the evening drinking fruity tropical hurricanes. I've learned so many important lessons in the kitchen, and was reminded of a few of these today. 

Make the best of what you have.

I spent the afternoon running around town in search of passion fruit juice. I read on multiple online sites that the secret to the perfect hurricane was this juice. Well, as it turns out you can't find passion fruit juice in Roanoke. I found every other flavor of Goya juice in the hispanic section of the grocery store, but no passion fruit. We used freshly squeezed orange juice and pineapple juice and it was perfect. Rather than get frustrated and call off our fun theme night, I'm so happy I made the best of what I could find. 

Even in the freezing cold, you can pretend you're in Jamaica. 

It's so easy to allow the weather to determine your mood. Somehow when it's dark, freezing cold, or pouring down rain, it seems natural to embrace the blues. You don't have to be that way. Just a little reminder of warm weather, like a coral manicure (OPI cajun shrimp is my favorite) or a fruity cocktail can totally brighten the day. 

I sampled a few versions of the hurricane before deciding on my favorite. The traditional recipe has 4 ounces of rum and 4 ounces of juice (passion fruit, lime juice, and grenadine). I sampled one that included amaretto, and the flavor was so well balanced without the harsh rum kick. My favorite version (the same as Martha Stewart's recipe) had 3 ounces of rum, with one shot of Bicardi 151, and 1 ounce of Amaretto to balance the flavor. 

I named this one the Roanoke Hurricane since all of these ingredients can be found right here in town! 

the Roanoke Hurricane 
1 oz light rum 
1 oz dark rum
1 oz bacardi 151
1 oz amaretto almond liqueur
1 dash grenadine
juice of half a lime
orange juice
pineapple juice
1 orange slice
1 maraschino cherry

Pour all but the pineapple and orange juice, in the order listed, into a hurricane glass three-quarters filled with ice. Fill with equal parts orange juice and pineapple juice until the glass is full. Garnish with orange slice and cherry. 

Pears with Tupelo Honey and Extra Sharp Cheddar

Since I devoted a quick and inexpensive appetizer for the guys, I will devote this easy yet elegant appetizer to the ladies. The first time Josh and I were in Savannah, we discovered Savannah Bee Company and their perfect tupelo honey. In the main shop, they were serving slim slices of granny smith apples topped with local sharp cheddar cheese and honeycomb. I cheated and went through the tasting line more than once, and believe me, you would have too. 

I was smitten immediately, and we left Savannah with a gallon of this honey. When my Aunt Brenda sent us a case of Harry & David pears for Christmas, and I later discovered our favorite Tupelo Honey on sale at a local kitchen shop, I had a vision for this combination. For the record, those pears are going on my favorites list for Christmas 2014 - it was such a wonderful gift and we enjoyed every bite of every pear. 

Please know that I am sharing a great secret with you today, and I hope you take this simple combination to your next "book club" aka wine night and love it as much as we do!  

                                  

Pears with Tupelo Honey and Extra Sharp Cheddar

Harry & David Pears or Granny Smith Apples (it's worth splurging for good fruit) 
Tupelo honey or pure honeycomb from the Savannah Bee Company
Extra Sharp Vermont White Cheddar Cheese (I like Cabot)

On a large cutting board, set out slices of pears, cheese, and honey.

Party Meatballs

This recipe is dedicated to the guys out there who need a quick and cheap appetizer for game day or a party. My husband says that some of my recipes are too complex for the male gender, so here you go guys, this one is for you! 

This is a no fuss appetizer that everyone ALWAYS loves. It's just three simple ingredients, and requires no chopping, searing, or anything besides getting out your slow cooker.

Let me share a favorite quote of mine  - 

Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. 

You don't always have to stress over homemade in the kitchen, mostly your friends are just happy to come over and not have to clean up afterwards.

Crock Pot Party Meatballs 

1 (32 ounce) bag frozen meatballs
1 (18 ounce) jar grape jelly
1 (18 ounce) jar Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce

Pour the meatballs, grape jelly, and BBQ sauce in the crock pot and stir until well combined. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 2-3 hours until completely cooked through. Stir occasionally.

Set crock pot on "warm" setting and place small bowls with toothpicks next to the meatballs for friends to serve themselves. 

Spaghetti Squash Chili Boats

One of my New Year's resolutions is to cook more low-carb dinners. Though we love a crunchy baguette and pasta dishes, those are to be enjoyed on special occasions. Tell me who doesn't love easily slipping into their jeans without a tug of war contest - ME! 

I've found that Kalyn's Kitchen and SkinnyTaste are wonderful resources for low-carb recipes. Cheers to staying healthy in 2014!

Spaghetti Squash (Cincinnati) Chili Boats
serves 2-3

1 large spaghetti squash
1 batch Cincinnati Chili (could substitute any chili recipe here) 
1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 yellow onion, diced (topping)
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (topping)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and membrane. Season with salt and pepper and bake for about 1 hour (cut side down) on baking sheet. When the squash is cooked, let it cool for about 10 minutes, keeping the oven on. When cool enough to handle, use a fork to remove flesh which will look like strands, reserving the shells. Drain the squash on a paper towel to remove excess liquid. 

Mix together the squash and half of the sauce in a large mixing bowl. Scoop the mixture back into the shells and place on a baking sheet. Top with extra chili and grated cheddar cheese and bake (at 400 degrees) for 20 minutes. 

Top with any chili toppings, I used kidney beans and onions since this was Cincinnati chili.