Roasted Home Fries

I made these potatoes a while ago as a great side to juicy cheeseburgers.  I have no idea where the recipe is hiding, so I'm winging it from memory!  These skillet potatoes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside and just perfect in every way.  They're great alongside burgers or steaks, but they'd also be a fabulous side dish at your next Sunday brunch.  Change the flavor to compliment your menu by adding herbs and spices as they cook.  Watch them disappear in no time.  Trust me.

1/2 a stick of butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 a medium onion, coarsely chopped

1 pound new potatoes, halved (or quartered, if they're large)

salt and pepper

In a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, combine butter and oil until butter is melted.  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350.  Add garlic and onion and cook until tender.  Add potatoes, toss to coat in the butter and oil, and allow to cook until potatoes are golden brown.  Place the skillet in the oven and roast until potatoes are fork-tender, fragrant, and golden all over, 30-45 minutes.

Serves 4.

Grilled Corn with Cilantro-Mint Butter

It's just not summer without corn on the cob!  My mom hails from the midwest and has been dubbed the "corn snob" of our family.  She's passed that trait on to my boys who love when they see corn on their dinner plates.  My five year-old recently ate two ears of corn and then complained when I wouldn't give him a third!  Grilling the corn gives it a gorgeous color and a lovely flavor that is really complimented by this fresh summery herbed butter!  I just know you're going to love it!

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

zest of 1/2 a lime

4 ears fresh sweet corn, shucked

For the butter, combine butter, herbs, salt and pepper, and zest in a mini food processor and give them a whirl until combined.

Preheat a grill to medium-high and brush grates with oil.  Grill corn, turning often, until slightly charred, about 10 minutes.

Spread 1/4 of the butter on each of the ears of corn and serve hot!

Serves 4.

Recipe adapted from Cuisine at Home, August 2015.

Twice Baked Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives

My birthday is later this month, so I'm gearing up for a weekend-long celebration including all my favorite meals, starting with a classic steak and potato supper!  You just can't beat that combo, especially when my delicious homemade Caesar salad is also involved!  Fire up the grill and get that meat on, because these potatoes will knock your socks off!  PS you wanna know the fixin's for the best (and least stressful) dinner party ever?  Make my Bourbon Steak, these potatoes, the salad I mentioned above, and this chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream piled on top.  Your guests (and bellies) will thank me.

8 small russet potatoes, scrubbed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup milk

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup snipped fresh chives, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled

salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 400.  Rub potatoes with oil.  Place on a baking sheet and bake until easily pierced with a fork, about 45 minute.  Let cool slightly.

Cut a thin slice lengthwise off the top of each potato and discard.  Using a small spoon, scoop the flesh from each potato into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, leaving about 1/4 inch intact around the edges.  Add sour cream, milk, butter, chives, and crispy bacon to the bowl.  Mix until potatoes are mashed and ingredients fully combined.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon mixture back into potato skins.  Bake until heated through and golden on top, about 20 minutes.  Garnish with remaining chives and serve hot.

Serves 8.

Recipe adapted from Martha's American Food, by Martha Stewart.

German Potato Salad (Warm)

About four years ago, my husband and I bought a Groupon deal to attend an Oktoberfest celebration in Carmel Valley, CA.  Tickets included drinks and a meal, live music, and plenty of entertainment.  We were not disappointed.  Especially with the food!  I might have tasted authentic German potato salad in the past (I've been to Germany several times, and my grandmother was German, so I'm sure there's a family recipe floating around somewhere, but this isn't it...) but I don't remember ever eating it.  Until that day in California.  The potatoes were perfectly soft, and the dish was just the right amount of sweet and salty, with a little crunch from the bacon, and even pretty (dare I say that about potato salad, which is usually just a tan blob on a plate?) to look at.  When I came across this recipe, I knew I had to tweak it and try it!  Once again, I wasn't disappointed, and I know you won't be either!

3 cups diced peeled potatoes

4 slices bacon

1 small onion, diced

1/4 cup white vinegar

2 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

Place the potatoes into a pot, and fill with enough water to cover.  Bring to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork.  Drain, and allow to cool.

Chop bacon into small pieces and fry in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, until browned and crisp, turning as needed.  Remove from the pan and set aside.  Add onion to the bacon grease, and cook over medium heat until browned.  Add the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and pepper to the pan.  Bring to a boil, then add the potatoes and parsley.  Crumble in half of the bacon.  Heat through, then transfer to a serving dish.  Crumble the remaining bacon over the top, garnish with additional parsley, and serve warm.

Serves 4-6.

Spicy Black Beans

We're continuing our Cinco de Mayo celebration with some spicy black beans this week!  These beans pack a punch, so proceed with caution, but they are worth every fiery bite!  Serve them alongside your favorite Mexican dishes, use them as a taco or burrito topping, or even add them to a fiesta soup to add tons of flavor.  Beans are versatile, so play around with the spice blend and pepper choices according to your tastes!

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon ground corriander

1 bay leaf

2 14-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup water

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and bell pepper.  Saute until translucent.  Stir in the spices and bay leaf and cook 2-3 minutes more.  Add the beans, tomatoes, salt and pepper, and water.  Bring to a low boil.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook 30 minutes.

Serves 6-8.

Recipe adapted from The Comfort Table, by Katie Lee.

Colcannon

3 slices bacon

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1/4 cup milk, warmed

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble the bacon and set aside.

Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two.

Place the potatoes into a large bowl, and add milk, butter, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Mash the potatoes with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Stir in the crumbled bacon, and parsley until well combined.

Parmesan Steak Fries

I've tried making French fries before.  While tasty, they didn't have the right crispy-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside texture for my liking.  And, I'll be honest, when it comes to fries, I tend to prefer the smaller shoestring variety than large steakhouse styles.  Until I made these.  Not only are they super easy, but they're incredibly versatile.  There are endless ways to change the flavors and seasonings to fit just about any meal.  And let's face it, when you're serving a steak dinner, big wedges of potato are a whole lot more sophisticated than a side of fries!  Serve these with your favorite dipping sauce or a dollop of flavored butter....or eat them plain.  The world is your oyster; enjoy!

3 large egg whites

3 baking potatoes

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

salt to taste

Preheat oven to 425.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk the egg whites into a shallow dish.  Wash the potatoes and cut each into 6 long spears.  Add to the egg whites and turn to coat.  Place the parmesan in a separate shallow dish.

One at a time, remove the potato spears from the egg whites, allowing the excess to drip off.  Roll the spear in the parmesan, coating each spear evenly on all sides.  Place on the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake, without turning, until the potatoes are fork-tender and golden brown, about 30 minutes.  Season with salt to taste.

Serves 4.

Recipe adapted from Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart Living.

Garlic Broccoli

I love broccoli!  So when I made a Chinese New Year themed meal and was searching for recipes for something green (come on, I'm a mom, and every meal needs a veggie!) I was so excited to find this.  The green color brightens any dish, and the crispy texture is the perfect compliment to fluffy fried rice.  Leave out the crushed red pepper flakes if you're serving this to the kiddos, it's a bit spicy, even for adult palates!

1 tablespoon canola oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 pound broccoli florets

3/4 cup chicken stock

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Heat the canola oil over medium-low heat in a wok or large skillet.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, allowing them to infuse the oil for 3-4 minutes.  Increase the heat to medium and add the broccoli.  Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes.  Add stock, soy sauce, and pepper.  Cook uncovered for 5 minutes, until broccoli is tender and almost all the liquid has evaporated.

Serves 4

Recipe adapted from The Comfort Table, by Katie Lee.

Smoky Cheese Fries

I don't know about you, but there is just something about football games that screams for cheesy fries!  These pack some heat with the added chipotles, so adjust the flavors as you see fit.  Try different cheeses to your liking.  Season the fries, or even try different cuts of fry to sop up as much of the sauce as your little heart desires.  Just make sure to keep it warm....no one likes cold cheese...or cold fries!

1 large pacakge frozen waffle fries

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups milk

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

2 chipotles in adobo, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons adobo sauce

salt

Preheat the oven and bake the fries according to package directions.

Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat.  Stir in the flour to make a roux.  Add the tomato paste, stirring to combine.  Whisk in the milk.  When the milk begins to bubble and thicken, add the cheese, chipotles, and adobo sauce.  Season with salt.

Serve the fries piping hot with a bowl of the hot cheese dip on the side.

Sautéed Flounder with Garden Vegetable Ratatouille

When "they" tell you to eat from the rainbow, I imagine that rainbow looks a little like this ratatouille!!  We just got  back from a weekend of painting our rental property.  Several days of manual labor, and a family celebration mixed in, made for 96 hours of binge eating, junk food, and no time for the gym.  When we got back home, we decided we needed a little "detox" to resurrect our good habits.  One quick trip to your favorite farmers market and fish monger and you can whip up a colorful, healthy, and delicious summer meal perfectly paired with a glass of crisp white wine and enjoyed with the fireflies on the back porch!  

Ratatouille:

2 tablespoons olive oil (I used herbed)

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1 eggplant, quartered and chopped

1 purple onion, halved and thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 zucchini, sliced into thick medallions

2 yellow squash, halved and sliced into thick half-moons

1 red bell pepper, sliced

10 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

salt and black pepper to taste

Flounder:

4 6-ounce flounder fillets

salt

lemon pepper

1/2 cup flour

1 tablespoon cayenne

olive oil, for sautéing

Make the ratatouille.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot.  Add the scallions, eggplant, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent.  Add the zucchini, squash, and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.  Add the basil and season to taste.

Make the flounder.  While the veggies are sautéing, rinse the fish and pat dry.  Season with salt and lemon pepper to taste.  Mix the flour, cayenne, more salt and paper in a shallow bowl.  Pour enough olive oil into a second non-stick skillet to just cover the bottom and place over medium-high heat until hot.  Dredge the fish in the flour mixture, coating evenly on all sides.  Sauté the fish, about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through.

Serve the fish over a bed of ratatouille.  Goes great with quinoa, wild rice, or even just herbed brown rice!

Serves 4.

Recipe adapted from Sara Foster's Southern Kitchen, by Sara Foster.

Creamy Cole Slaw

There's a restaurant in my hometown where they serve slaw on top of the BBQ sandwiches.  Actually, the favorite BBQ joints in my hometown and those of my parents are all the same.  Slaw on the pulled pork.  I wouldn't have it any other way.  And my husband, bless his heart, doesn't think I'm crazy and loves the extra crunch and tang it brings to the spicy BBQ.  So, when I made a mess of 'cue a few weeks ago, you can imagine that my husband wanted some cole slaw.  Cole slaw that we didn't have.  So we did a little research, put our heads together, and came up with this concoction based mostly on our own tastes.  Whether you put it on your sandwich or just on the side, let me know what you think!!

1 head green cabbage, finely shredded

2 large carrots, finely shredded

3/4 cup best-quality mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sour cream

2 tablespoons grated Spanish onion

2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1 tablespoon dry mustard

2 teaspoons celery seed

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine the shredded cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, sugar, vinegar, mustard, celery seed, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl, and then add to the cabbage mixture. Mix well to combine and taste for seasoning; adjust as desired.

Serves 8.

Recipe adapted from someone's grandmother's 100 year-old recipe!!

Fresh Corn on the Cob with Basil Tomato Butter

"Look, Mom, corn!"  My mama is from Southern Illinois, where corn is king.  In fact, the annual festival in her hometown culminates with Corn Day, complete with a parade and Corn Queen!  Soooo.....on every road trip, whenever we pass a corn field, we shout, "Look, Mom, corn!"  Needless to say, we ate a lot of corn on the cob growing up.  And while I love the stuff, it's not something I make often.  I'm not the expert on picking corn from the huge bins at the grocery like Mama is, and until I made this recipe, I wasn't really sure how to even cook the corn!  But, as had been my entire culinary education, I read the recipe and followed the instructions.  And this corn turned out perfectly!  Then I called Mama and she told me a shortcut for making corn in the microwave...  Anyway, this recipe was great, the herbed butter was fabulous, and it would be just as amazing on a baked potato or slathered into crusty garlic bread before baking to add a few more delicious flavors!

4-8 ears of corn

salt to taste

1 cup salted butter, softened

1 tablespoon fresh basil

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 teaspoon fresh oregano

1 tablespoon sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Remove the husks and silks from the corn.  Bring enough salted water to cover the corn to a boil in a large stockpot.  Add the corn and return to a boil.  Remove the corn and drain.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in the bowl of a mini-food processor (or a blender would work just as well).  Pulse until herbs and tomatoes are roughly chopped and everything is combined well.  Spread over hot corn.

Serves 4-8.

Recipe adapted from My Mama Made That, by the Junior League of Hampton Roads.

Southern-Style Greens (Kale)

I was pretty sure, after one serving at one of those all-you-can-eat buffet places that I didn't like collard greens.  I didn't want to give up, since, you know, those places don't necessarily have the best recipes, chefs, or quality ingredients.  Still, I was hesitant to waste my time finding a recipe and the ingredients to make my own collard greens. I don't remember eating them growing up, Southern staple that they are.  Then again, I wasn't sure I liked kale either.  I'd never had it before.  I had, however, heard about its awesomeness in the form of chips, its health benefits, and its ability to work yet another green vegetable into our green bean laden rotation.  Enter this recipe.  It's "amaze-balls", "the bomb dot com", "fantabulous" and any other yummy way you can find to describe it.  Oh yeah, and it's pretty healthy too.  Try it with turkey bacon, or (as I do) reduced fat bacon.  Then again, with only three strips divided among at least four folks, just use the good stuff!

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

3 slices bacon, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

3-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 cup water

1 1-pound bunch kale, stemmed and thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add bacon and cook until browned and crispy.  Remove bacon to a plate lined with paper towel, reserving drippings in pan.

Add onion and garlic to skillet drippings and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until onion is soft, about 3 minutes.  Add water and half the kale.  Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until kale is wilted, about 2 minutes.  Add remaining kale, salt, and pepper.  Cover and cook until kale is tender and water has evaporated, about 3 minutes more.

Add bacon to skillet, stir to combine and heat through.  

Serves 4.

Recipe adapted from The South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook by Arthur Agatston.

Katie's Mac & Cheeses

You can't get much more Southern than homemade mac and cheese!  Besides, who doesn't love macaroni and cheese?!  These single cupcake-sized servings are super cute and would be adorable at a kids – or grown-ups – party!  I found the recipe in Cosmopolitan magazine ages ago, thanks to Katie Lee Joel's column.  Make them ahead and reheat as needed.  Mix up the cheeses and pasta shapes to suit your mood.  Add other flavors, like dry mustard, parsley, cayenne, or more according to your tastes.  Pack them for a picnic.  Make mini-muffin sizes as a sweet little appetizer.  This dish is versatile, fun, and 110% picky toddler friendly (trust me...my son went through a phase where he would only eat food shaped like cupcakes!).

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

½ teaspoon onion powder 

¼ teaspoon black pepper 

2 cups skim milk 

2 tablespoons low-fat cream cheese 

2 cups shredded low-fat cheddar cheese 

10 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked to package instructions 

2 Roma tomatoes, sliced 

In a saucepan over medium heat, mix flour, salt, onion powder, and pepper. Cook 2 minutes, stirring. Slowly whisk in milk, then add cream cheese. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook 4 minutes, stirring, until thick. Remove from heat, and stir in 1½ cups cheddar cheese until melted. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 12-muffin tin with cooking spray. In a bowl, mix cooked macaroni and cheese sauce. Spoon into muffin tin. Top with a slice of tomato and shredded cheese. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Fried Smashed Potatoes with Lemon

What goes better with a steak dinner than potatoes?  These are a twist on the standard baked or mashed variety, and they're super simple as well.  And, when it comes to cooking, I live by my mama's motto:  Simple, but elegant!  I live for meals that taste great, look great, but don't stress me out in the kitchen.  Besides, when you're making a romantic dinner at home, who wants to be stressed out over the cooking?!  Spend your precious time choosing the perfect music to accompany your meal and inspire some after dinner dancing with your love!

2 pounds baby or fingerling potatoes

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

3 cloves garlic, minced

grated zest of 2 lemons

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Put the potatoes in an 8-quart pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches.  Bring the water to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.  Drain the potatoes and all to dry 5 minutes.  Using the palm of your hand, gently press the potatoes until lightly smashed.

In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and lightly brown, about 1 minute.  In batches, add the potatoes and cook, without stirring, for 5-8 minutes, until the bottoms turn golden brown.  Using a spatula, turn the potatoes over and cook, drizzling with oil if needed, for 5-8 minutes longer, until golden brown on the underside.  Transfer to a serving bowl once cooked.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Spoon the dressing over the potatoes and toss gently until coated.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 4.

Recipe adapted from Weeknights with Giada, by Giada de Laurentiis.

Lemon Cream Chicken with Champagne Risotto and Asparagus

I found this recipe while surfing the internet one day.  I knew immediately that I wanted to serve it for New Year's Day.  Then my husband and I decided to invite both our families here for Christmas, so I bumped the menu up a week.  But it would be just as good for New Year's, especially with the addition of a little bubbly in the risotto.  And since the original recipe was written for two servings, this would be the perfect dish to keep in mind for Valentine's Day or your next anniversary.  Or, if you're a dude and want to impress your lady, I promise this is a recipe you need to learn to master.  It's a little involved, but it is worth the effort...and is a great meal to make together, if you and your special someone enjoy sharing cooking duties!  Enjoy!

3 cups chicken stock

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup arborio rice

Salt and pepper

1 split (half-bottle) champagne or sparkling wine

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 3-inch piece peel and juice of 1 lemon

1 pinch cayenne pepper

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/8 pound sliced pancetta, chopped

1 small bunch asparagus, cut on an angle into 1-inch pieces

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

1/2 cup grated parmigiano cheese

3 - 4 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped and chopped

In a medium saucepan, heat the stock over low heat. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice and toss to coat; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the champagne and boil to evaporate slightly, about 2 minutes.

Stir a couple of ladlefuls of warm chicken stock into the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates. Add more broth, a few ladlefuls at a time, reserving 1/2 cup. Cook until creamy, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes.

While the risotto cooks, in a small saucepan, cook the cream, lemon peel and cayenne over medium-low heat until slightly reduced, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 6 minutes on each side. Transfer to a cutting board (reserving the skillet); add the reserved 1/2 cup chicken broth to the pan juices in the skillet and stir. Stir this liquid into the risotto as it cooks.

In the nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the asparagus and shallot and cook, stirring, for 3 more minutes.

To serve, stir the cheese and thyme into the risotto and spoon generous portions onto plates. Slice the chicken breasts on an angle and fan out over the risotto. Discard the lemon peel from the reduced cream; spoon over the chicken. Pour the lemon juice over the asparagus and toss; spoon around the risotto.

Serves 2.

Recipe adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray, December 2007.

Home-Style Fries

I made these spuds as a side dish the other night, and my husband couldn't stop raving about them!  Golden and crispy on the outside, and perfectly tender on the inside, these are the potatoes you think of when you reminisce about your favorite old-fashioned neighborhood diner.  They're so simple, would be equally tasty for breakfast next to an omelet, but also pair well with just about any dinner you can imagine.  I served mine with salmon, with plenty of leftovers for meals to come.  I plan on making these again and again, playing with the flavors to complement the main course!

2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed clean

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp dried thyme

2-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

salt and pepper

Place potatoes in a large pot and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes by an inch or two.  Salt the water gererously.  Boil potatoes in salted water for 5 minutes. While leaving water on heat, remove potatoes from pot, cut into 1-inch cubes, and return to boiling water for 3-5 minutes more.  Drain well.

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and parboiled potatoes and saute 5 minutes without stirring. After 5 minutes, stir, add thyme, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook 7 minutes or until golden (stirring occasionally).

Serves 4.

Boursin Creamed Spinach

I made this dish the other night to accompany a steak dinner.  I wanted something a little different, and I wanted something warm and hearty to counteract the snow falling outside.  I received a copy of Cuisine at Home a while ago, and so far everything I've tried from the complimentary issue has been fabulous.  This dish was no different.  It's similar to this other spinach dish I made not long ago, so try them both and see which you like best.  They're both tasty, with slightly different flavors, but both so yummy!  Enjoy!

1/2 cup diced onion

3-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

1 package (5.2 oz) garlic and herb Boursin

1 package (10 oz) frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and “wrung out” to remove excess moisture

2 tablespoons parmesan

zest of 1 lemon

salt, pepper, cayenne, nutmeg to taste

For the Crumb topping:

2/3 cup Lemon-Pepper Panko crumbs

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt, just a pinch

Preheat the oven to 425. Spray a shallow dish with Pam.

Saute onion and garlic in 1 T butter in a saucepan over medium heat until soft.  Add flour and stir to coat. Cook about a minute.  Gradually whisk half & half into mixture, stirring constantly to prevent clumps. Simmer for 1 minute.  Stir in Boursin until melted and sauce is smooth. Remove from heat.  Stir in spinach and parmesan. Add lemon zest and seasonings. Transfer to sprayed dish.

Combine Panko, butter, oil, and salt. Sprinkle over spinach mixture, pressing to adhere.  Dish may be covered and chilled from this point.  Bake until crumbs are golden and cheese sauce is bubbly, 25-35 minutes.

Sassy Spicy Sweet Potatoes

The theme this month kind of happened accidentally!  I realized earlier this week that all the recipes I have lined up are my favorite fall flavors.  Pumpkin.  Sweet potato.  Butternut squash (calm down; you'll get that one next week).  I love it.  I love the heartiness.  I love how they're comfort flavors.  I love the vibrant orange colors and creamy velvety textures.  I love the sweet yet savory flavors.  I love that each of the combinations is something I'd never think of on my own.  This dish is no different.  I love sweet potatoes (my mama's nickname for me is Sweet Potato Pie).  And I love jalapenos.  But I'd never think to pair the two.  In fact, I'm a little surprised that I was bold enough to try this recipe.  But I'm so glad that I did.  Serve these potatoes with steaks and a big green salad.  Or pork tenderloin.  Or poultry.  They're so versatile.  So flavorful.  So different.  Even my mama, who's not a huge sweet potato fan, loved them and asked for the recipe.  So go ahead, trust me, and try this dish.  You won't be sorry!

4 sweet potatoes

olive oil

salt

1/2 cup sour cream (I used reduced fat)

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon seeded minced jalapeno

1 teaspoon lime juice

salt

bacon bits

sliced scallions

Preheat the oven to 450 with rack in the center.

Wash and dry sweet potatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Wrap in foil. Bake until soft when pierced, 45-60 minutes.

Combine sour cream, syrup, jalapeno, lime juice, and salt.

Serve potatoes with sour cream mixture, bacon bits, and scallions.

Serves 4.

Jerk-Seasoned Chicken and Coconut Curried Rice & Beans

I just started nursing school (getting a second bachelors degree is a good idea, right?!).  Needless to say, I'm a little busy.  And what comes to mind when you think of healthy weeknight dinners that will produce enough leftovers to feed your family for at least two nights?  That's right, chicken and rice.  But that's boring.  So this month I'll be showering you with some flavorful alternatives!  Starting with a nostalgic favorite...  My husband took me to Jamaica for our anniversary and every time I see a recipe involving Jerk seasoning, I'm taken back to our week of island paradise.  Lately I've been craving the carefree sunny feeling I enjoyed five years ago.  When I saw this menu in a cookbook I don't often use, I knew I had to try it! This recipe (well, recipes, actually) seem like a lot of work, but they're really not.  And super yummy.  Adjust the spices and chiles if you'd like, but I promise you'll love the kaleidoscope of flavors dancing on your tongue.  Yeah mon!

Jerk-Seasoned Grilled Chicken

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Juice of 1 lime

Juice of 1 orange

1 teaspoon mustard

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 pounds chicken breasts

3-4 tablespoons Island Spice Adobo dry rub (recipe follows) 

Combine the Worcestershire, lime, and orange juices with the mustard and oil, then toss the chicken in this mixture to coat evenly.

Sprinkle the chicken with the dry rub and cover.  Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.

Place chicken in a baking dish and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.  Preheat the grill.  Grill over medium heat until evenly browned and cooked through.  In a time crunch, skip the grilling and just bake until the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a fork.

Serves 4-6.

Island Spice Adobo Dry Rub

1/8 cup onion powder

1/8 cup powdered garlic

1-2 tablespoons cayenne

2 tablespoons mustard powder

1 tablespoon powdered ginger

1 tablespoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground corriander

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 tablespoon dried thyme

2 teaspoons dried orange peel

1 teaspoon dried lemon peel

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons black pepper

1/2 cup salt

Mix all together.  Store in an airtight, cool, dry place out of the sunlight.

Makes about 2 cups.

Coconut Curried Rice and Black-Eyed Peas

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/3 cups basmati rice

1 sweet bell pepper, diced

1/2 inch peeled ginger, cut into three slices

1 clove garlic, minced

1 whole habanero chile

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

2-3 teaspoons curry powder

generous pinch ground cloves

4 green onions, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons Worcestershire

1 teaspoon ketchup

1 13-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk

1 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup diced tomato

1 1/2 cups cooked black-eyed peas (drain and rinse if using canned)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven.  Add the rice and fry, stirring constantly until the rice begins to turn opaque-white and a touch of brown develops.

Add the sweet pepper and ginger and continue frying for another minute.  Add garlic, chile, thyme, curry, cloves, and green onions.  Cook 30 seconds more, stirring well to prevent burning.

Temporarily remove from heat and carefully stir in the Worcestershire, ketchup, coconut milk, stock, tomato, black-eyed peas, and salt (the hot rice may splatter!).  Stir well to mix.

Return to the heat and bring to a boil.  Stir once, cover tightly, reduce heat to simmer, and cook 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to steam for 10-12 minutes (don't remove the lid, even to peek!).

Remove cover, add the cilantro, and fluff with a fork.  Remove the ginger slices and chile.

Serves 6-8.

All recipes adapted from Fiesta on the Grill, by Daniel Hoyer.