Tag Archives: food

Twice-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle

Happy Spring everyone! As I mentioned last week, I don’t often eat potatoes but I’ve decided I have to make a better effort to include sweet potatoes in my diet. I never ate them as a kid which may be why I don’t eat them as an adult but they are a great source of Vitamin A so why not eat one from time to time? I have to admit that I’m not a huge fan of the sweetness of these guys – much to the shock and dismay of my ever-present sweet tooth – so if they are prepared in a savory way, I’m ready to try it out. Other than my one attempt at making sweet potato fries a few years ago, I didn’t know the first thing about preparing these orange gems. Since I’m obsessed with the smokiness of chipotles in adobo sauce, these Twice-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle seemed like a perfect way to give sweet potatoes a new shot. I have to tell you – I inhaled this. The contrast of the smoky with the sweet really knocked my socks off and the slight bite of the green onions really took this over the edge. I’m officially obsessed. You win, sweet potatoes. I concede!

The ingredients:

Pierce the potatoes with a fork and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until done. Allow potatoes to cool slightly.

Cut potatoes in half and carefully scoop out the potato pulp. Put into a food processor with butter, chiles, adobo and salt. Add in the white part of the scallions and process briefly.

Spoon potato mixture into the shells and bake at 400°F for 10 minutes or until hot. Top with thinly sliced scallions.

Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions: None

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Cooking Light Magazine

Colcannon

What in the world is Colcannon, you ask? It’s really nothing more than mashed potatoes mixed with kale or cabbage, scallions, butter and cream and is usually served with ham. Irish food isn’t traditionally known for being “light fare” so in trying to lighten this up, I used kale, light butter, and skim milk. I don’t often make potatoes at home, not even baked potatoes. In fact, I think I usually only eat potatoes at Thanksgiving. I never considered adding in a leafy green with potatoes but I like the idea of it! Kale works perfectly because it is hearty and can stand up to the heat of the potatoes without disappearing. It also provides a complementary texture to the potatoes and makes the dish visually interesting.

By the time you read this, I will either be laying on a Florida beach, at a preseason baseball game, or somewhere watching NCAA basketball. On St. Patrick’s Day, I’m sure I’ll be knee deep in Guiness celebrating life with my friends. Since I’m taking a few days off, I won’t be able to post anything again until next Tuesday so I hope you have a happy, fun and safe St. Patty’s Day! Sláinte!

Also check out: Irish Cream Brownies

The ingredients:

Cook the potatoes in a medium pot covered in cold water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain in a colander.

In the same pot, add in the butter and allow to melt.

Add in the kale and allow to wilt. Toss in the green onions.

Pour in the milk and mix well.

Add in the potatoes and mix, using a potato masher to mash the potatoes.

Season with salt and pepper and serve warm with additional butter if you like.

Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions:

Light butter
Skim milk

Overall Rating: Like It

Source: SimplyRecipes.com

Brown Soda Bread

It’s hard to believe that it’s the middle of March already. March Madness starts tomorrow and this weekend is St. Patrick’s Day already. Although my friends and I are usually on a flight to Vegas right about now, this year we are heading to sunny Clearwater, Florida. I’m definitely in need of a little vacay and my ghostly white legs could use a few hours in the Florida sun. I’ll be in Florida for St. Patty’s Day so to get myself in the mood, I decide to make a couple of good ol’ Irish recipes this week, like this one for Brown Soda Bread.

I don’t think I’ve ever had brown soda bread before (also known as Irish Soda Bread) but I’m a fan of the nutritional value of steel-cut oats which are included here. The oats provide a slight nuttiness and depth to this bread which is also filled with whole wheat flour and wheat germ making this a good source of fiber. I hear that some brown soda breads also have raisins which I think would be delicious in here. This was a super-easy bread to prepare and it puffs up in the oven fantastically, making you forget that there is no yeast in it. I like this bread best toasted with a small pat of light butter but I bet it’s even better with a little bit of Irish butter or fruity jam. If you want to have some fresh bread in the house but don’t want to spend hours kneading and rising dough, please give this bread a try. In a little over an hour, your house will be filled with the warm smell of bread.

Stay tuned tomorrow for another Irish recipe!