This dish is dedicated to my kids...mostly because they do make me crazy, but the contents of this meal pretty much rock in my book and are a little like my kids. Spicy, zippy, sweet, colorful, and the perfect blend of what really makes a dish de-lish. It can even totally pull off a summer or a winter dinner fix. I got the idea from the restaurant Claim Jumpers that I used to go to in Vegas with the hubs back when we had more money and were trying to wooo (sp?) each other. Then I found a version I liked on the internet, and altered it to my specs. Basically it is a baked sweet potato slathered in a sort of jamaican style jerk seasoned chicken and topped with some super yum mango salsa and a little drizzle of honey. You bet your boots it is too good to be true. And for all of you that just may be bored with what else to do for dinner, this one def. qualifies as a winner, and super easy meal that is even kid friendly (we just skip the spicy salsa and viola!)
Check it...http://whiskedawaycooking.blogspot.com (also another great site for some fun recipes and cute stories of cooking in the kitchen)
Important Note; I will re-type below for the “just in case purposes”. Also, she calls for Papaya, I used mango since I have a ton from the farmers co-op here. I also did not use as much onion, basically cut it to 1/4 of an onion plus a small shallot because I HEART them...also used half a red pepper and a whole fresh jalepeno for serious kick. Adjust your amounts to fit your needs though and maybe even prepare earlier to sit for a few hours! I did at lunch while kids were eating (also letting the chicken marinate) so dinner was a snap once I threw it together. Love it.
Jamaican Sweet Potato
2 sweet potatoes (try to get the kind with orange flesh--they might technically be yams), baked until the skins are crisp and the flesh is tender (poke holes in the potatoes, spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt, cook directly on oven rack)
1 small white onion, diced (or 1/4 plus a shallot)
1 red bell pepper, diced (or 1/2)
1 large handful cilantro, chopped
1 fat clove garlic (or two small), minced
8 slices jarred jalapeno, minced (or one fresh one diced)
1 papaya (~1 lb), diced (or one mango)
2 tbsp lime juice (used 1 whole lime)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
(mix all these together, refrigerate until needed)
2 6-oz chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp dried chives
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp black pepper
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
(mix all spices together, coat chicken pieces w/extra virgin olive oil then the spice mixture, you can let marinate til ready to use, then cook chicken in skillet w/a little more olive oil)
butter
honey
green onions
To assemble:
When potatoes are done, cut them open and add about 1 tbsp butter (optional); top with salsa and chicken; add green onions; drizzle with honey
Showing posts with label potatoes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label potatoes. Show all posts
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Comfort Food, Done Right
I had the most amazing comfort food experience the other day. Luckily in some ways, since we are have been cooped up in an apartment in the winter here in Denver for the last week+, I have been able to experiment with some new recipes (making them my own) and the cold to inspire me for yummy comfort dishes. The only problem here is that I started a book that I couldn't put down for the weekend, and therefore could not do much else! I love that feeling of accomplishment after a great home cooked meal, 6 loads of laundry down, or even just temporarily neglecting my kids for the weekend to actually finish a book in under a month....*sigh* brings warmth to the soul.
SO, this amazing dish. Once again inspired by a Dr. G recipe, but I personally changed it up enough so that I am pretty sure I can practically claim it myself! The beans in the dish are called Aduki Beans and here is a quick tidbit about them;
The name azuki is a transliteration of the native Japanese name. Japanese also has a Chinese loanword, Shōzu (小豆), which means "small bean" (its counterpart "large bean" (大豆; Daizu) being the soybean). It is common to write 小豆 in kanji but pronounce it as azuki (ah-zoo-kee). Dry adzuki beans are small dark red, oval beans approximately 5 mm in diameter. They have a distinctive white ridge along one side. Adzuki beans are popular across Asia, particularly in Japan, and are used to make red sweet bean paste. They are also easy to digest which makes them a great ingredient in cooking for those who have sensitivities to beans and legumes. (Ask my dad personally, not only did he do fine the night we ate the dish but he had the nerve to steal my leftovers the next day for work!) They have a low fat, high protein, high fiber (almost 9-13g per cup of cooked beans) and natural sugar content. Lets check out the recipe now...
Aduki Bean Stew with Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Stew
2 15oz can Aduki Beans (you can find them at places like Vitamin Cottage or Wholefoods) drained and rinsed
1 cube chicken bouillon or heaping tsp. chicken bouillon
1 yellow onion finely diced
2 carrots thinly sliced
1 small to medium leek thinly sliced
half butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cubed
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 bunch of curly kale thinly chopped
cornstarch and water for base
Put about 6 c. water in a large stock pot to boil with chicken stock and all the vegetables and spices EXCEPT beans, cornstarch, and kale. Boil lightly for about 10 min or so to start softening, then add the beans and cook for a further 10 min or so til all the veggies are soft. Add the chopped kale finally and about 2 TBSP cornstarch to about 1/2 c. cold water to mix it thoroughly, then slowly add to stew for more of a thick base. Taste and add more bouillon if needed or pepper for flavor.
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Boil about 6-8 medium yukon gold (they are the most buttery delicious) potatoes, cleaned and some peeled, for about 15min or so. Then add almost a full head of cauliflower cleaned and chopped. It will naturally rise to the top. When all the vegg is soft, strain the cauliflower off the top and puree it. Mix your potatoes with a hand mixer, then add the cauli puree, about 2 TBSP butter and milk, then salt and pepper to taste.
Serve this entire yummy meal with the potatoes acting as the base, and the stew as sort of a gravy or topping. Be sure to serve together as it is absolutely delish and even my picky 2 yr old ate it!
The name azuki is a transliteration of the native Japanese name. Japanese also has a Chinese loanword, Shōzu (小豆), which means "small bean" (its counterpart "large bean" (大豆; Daizu) being the soybean). It is common to write 小豆 in kanji but pronounce it as azuki (ah-zoo-kee). Dry adzuki beans are small dark red, oval beans approximately 5 mm in diameter. They have a distinctive white ridge along one side. Adzuki beans are popular across Asia, particularly in Japan, and are used to make red sweet bean paste. They are also easy to digest which makes them a great ingredient in cooking for those who have sensitivities to beans and legumes. (Ask my dad personally, not only did he do fine the night we ate the dish but he had the nerve to steal my leftovers the next day for work!) They have a low fat, high protein, high fiber (almost 9-13g per cup of cooked beans) and natural sugar content. Lets check out the recipe now...
Aduki Bean Stew with Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Stew
2 15oz can Aduki Beans (you can find them at places like Vitamin Cottage or Wholefoods) drained and rinsed
1 cube chicken bouillon or heaping tsp. chicken bouillon
1 yellow onion finely diced
2 carrots thinly sliced
1 small to medium leek thinly sliced
half butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cubed
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 bunch of curly kale thinly chopped
cornstarch and water for base
Put about 6 c. water in a large stock pot to boil with chicken stock and all the vegetables and spices EXCEPT beans, cornstarch, and kale. Boil lightly for about 10 min or so to start softening, then add the beans and cook for a further 10 min or so til all the veggies are soft. Add the chopped kale finally and about 2 TBSP cornstarch to about 1/2 c. cold water to mix it thoroughly, then slowly add to stew for more of a thick base. Taste and add more bouillon if needed or pepper for flavor.
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Boil about 6-8 medium yukon gold (they are the most buttery delicious) potatoes, cleaned and some peeled, for about 15min or so. Then add almost a full head of cauliflower cleaned and chopped. It will naturally rise to the top. When all the vegg is soft, strain the cauliflower off the top and puree it. Mix your potatoes with a hand mixer, then add the cauli puree, about 2 TBSP butter and milk, then salt and pepper to taste.
Serve this entire yummy meal with the potatoes acting as the base, and the stew as sort of a gravy or topping. Be sure to serve together as it is absolutely delish and even my picky 2 yr old ate it!
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Fun Recipes and More Leftovers
Now I think I am just trying to get all my recipes together and out there, especially since I used some of my leftovers and turned them into quick and easy lunches and other meals. So without wasting anymore time...
Chicken Salad
About 1 c. chopped chicken (can be leftover in my case or canned)
1/2 an apple diced
1-2 green onions chopped
About 1/4 c. craisins
Optional 1/4 c. halved grapes
About 2 Tbsp Mayo
salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder to taste
Mix all ingredients well and serve with crackers or whole grain bread. Alter the mayo to your liking.
These ingredients also make a superb chicken pasta salad. If you marinate the chicken (double the amount for this recipe) in about 1 8 oz bottle of coleslaw dressing mixed with 1/3 c. sugar, 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar, 1/2 tsp. ginger, and a dash of thyme overnight, then prepare all your ingredients the next day you can have a great side at dinner. This recipe comes from my sister in law and is a favorite around here. Double your fruit and veggie amounts for the pasta salad. Add 1/2-1 c. celery diced and 3/4 c. toasted almonds (you can also toast your own slivered almonds by mixing them in a microwave safe bowl with about 1 Tbsp of butter with 1 tsp. of sugar, cook on high for about 2 min. depending on your microwave. Check every 20 sec and stir to make sure they are not burning!) Cook and prepare 1 16oz box of bowtie pasta, and if you can; mix all these ingredients and refrigerate about 3 hours before serving. Delish!
Leftover Mashed Potato Soup
Leftover Mashed Potatoes (mine had cauliflower pureed in of course too!)
1 Parsnip diced
Optional 1/2 diced sweet potato
1 small Leek diced
About 1 c. whole milk w/Tbsp butter (or 1 c. cream)
1-2 cloves garlic minced
1 c. chicken or veggie broth
1/2 -1 c. Mixed frozen veggies
Salt and pepper to taste
Boil the parsnip, sweet potato, and leek in the milk and butter or cream with minced garlic til soft. Be sure to watch and stir carefully if using milk as it can scald easily. Blend slightly til desired consistency. Put back in the pan with mashed potatoes, broth, and frozen veggies. Heat through, add salt and pepper to taste and serve hot. You may need more or less broth depending on how much mashed potato you have left, how thick you like your soup etc. Makes great individual servings for later too.
Chicken Salad
About 1 c. chopped chicken (can be leftover in my case or canned)
1/2 an apple diced
1-2 green onions chopped
About 1/4 c. craisins
Optional 1/4 c. halved grapes
About 2 Tbsp Mayo
salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder to taste
Mix all ingredients well and serve with crackers or whole grain bread. Alter the mayo to your liking.
These ingredients also make a superb chicken pasta salad. If you marinate the chicken (double the amount for this recipe) in about 1 8 oz bottle of coleslaw dressing mixed with 1/3 c. sugar, 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar, 1/2 tsp. ginger, and a dash of thyme overnight, then prepare all your ingredients the next day you can have a great side at dinner. This recipe comes from my sister in law and is a favorite around here. Double your fruit and veggie amounts for the pasta salad. Add 1/2-1 c. celery diced and 3/4 c. toasted almonds (you can also toast your own slivered almonds by mixing them in a microwave safe bowl with about 1 Tbsp of butter with 1 tsp. of sugar, cook on high for about 2 min. depending on your microwave. Check every 20 sec and stir to make sure they are not burning!) Cook and prepare 1 16oz box of bowtie pasta, and if you can; mix all these ingredients and refrigerate about 3 hours before serving. Delish!
Leftover Mashed Potato Soup
Leftover Mashed Potatoes (mine had cauliflower pureed in of course too!)
1 Parsnip diced
Optional 1/2 diced sweet potato
1 small Leek diced
About 1 c. whole milk w/Tbsp butter (or 1 c. cream)
1-2 cloves garlic minced
1 c. chicken or veggie broth
1/2 -1 c. Mixed frozen veggies
Salt and pepper to taste
Boil the parsnip, sweet potato, and leek in the milk and butter or cream with minced garlic til soft. Be sure to watch and stir carefully if using milk as it can scald easily. Blend slightly til desired consistency. Put back in the pan with mashed potatoes, broth, and frozen veggies. Heat through, add salt and pepper to taste and serve hot. You may need more or less broth depending on how much mashed potato you have left, how thick you like your soup etc. Makes great individual servings for later too.
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