Crispy Roasted Green Beans

 from Our Best Bites

1 pound green beans, washed and ends trimmed
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (I love our garlic, lime, lemon, or chili oils)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

SPICY LIME MAYONNAISE:

1/4 cup light mayonnaise
2-3 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
Juice of 1/2 lime
kosher salt to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 and line with aluminum foil. In a medium bowl, toss the beans, oil, and spices until the beans are evenly coated. Spread evenly over the baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes or until crispy but not burned.

While the beans are cooking, whisk together the spicy mayonnaise ingredients (start with 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce and go from there–it gets spicy quickly!)

Serve the beans immediately with the spicy mayonnaise.

Makes 4-6 servings.

*** I used canola oil instead of olive oil and I did not make the mayonnaise.

Roasted Red Potatoes

Roasted Baby Potatoes from Six Sisters' Stuff

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pounds baby potatoes (I used baby red and miniature yukon gold)
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoons parsley
• 1 teaspoon dill
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried onion
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Half or quarter (depending on their size) baby potatoes, then place in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle olive oil over potatoes and toss to coat.
3. In a small bowl, mix together parsley, dill, chives, garlic powder, onion powder, dried onion, paprika, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture over potatoes and toss again to coat.
4. Spread potatoes into one layer on a foil-lined baking sheet.
5. Roast for 45 minutes to an hour, turning twice, until golden brown and slightly crispy.

***I used regular red potatoes, not baby red potatoes

     I found dried chives in the bulk section of WinCo

All About Garlic

(taken from the TLC website)


Whole bulbs of store-bought garlic will keep for several months or more when stored at room temperature in a dry, dark place that has ample air circulation. Keep in mind, however, that garlic's lifetime decreases once you start removing cloves from the bulb.

Storing garlic uncovered, such as in a wire-mesh basket inside your cupboard or beneath a small overturned clay pot, is ideal.

You can also store garlic in a paper bag, egg carton, or mesh bag. Just be sure there is plenty of dry air and little light to inhibit sprouting. To avoid mold, do not refrigerate or store garlic in plastic bags.

If you've prepared more garlic than you need for a particular recipe, you can store minced garlic in the refrigerator in an air-tight container. Although the most active sulfur compound diminishes within a few hours, refrigeration will slightly slow the process. Use refrigerated garlic as soon as possible. Some people are tempted to freeze garlic, but this is not recommended because its texture changes, as does its flavor.
Garlic in the Kitchen

The first thing to remember about cooking with garlic is the difference between bulbs and cloves. The average teardrop-shape garlic bulb is about two inches wide and two inches tall. It typically contains about 10 to 20 individual cloves about the size of your thumbnail. Most recipes call for one or more cloves, not bulbs.

To separate the individual cloves from the bulb, place the bulb on a flat surface. Use the heel of your hand to apply firm but gentle pressure at an angle. The parchment layers will separate, allowing you to carefully remove as many cloves as you need.

Then, tenderly remove the thin covering on each individual clove. Most people reach for the plumpest cloves, but the smaller cloves have a more intense flavor.

Because one of garlic's most beneficial ingredients, allicin, is partially destroyed by cooking, you'll get the greatest health boost if you use it raw or only lightly cooked when you can. However, cooking garlic forms other healthy sulfur compounds, so you still receive benefits when you cook it.

Plan ahead so you can cut, crush, or chop your garlic and let it sit for 15 minutes or more before using it to activate the enzymes that turn alliin into allicin.
Peeling Garlic the Easy Way

To easily peel garlic, slice off each end of a clove. Then, turn your broad chef's knife sideways so the flat side is parallel to your cutting board and the sharp edge is facing away from you. Place your knife this way on top of the clove and give the blade a quick pop with the heel of your hand to lightly crush the garlic clove (you don't want to mash it). The papery skins then rub off easily.



If you're going to peel many garlic cloves at once, drop them into boiling water for 10 to 20 seconds. Then plunge them into cold water. The skins will slide right off between your thumb and forefinger.

Sweet Potatoes from Taste of Home

I love the orange juice in this.

10-12 ServingsPrep: 15 min. Bake: 40 min.15 40 55 Ingredients

5 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cooked
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon Spice Islands® pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Marshmallows
Directions
In a large bowl, mash sweet potatoes. Add eggs, orange juice, butter, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and salt; mix well. Transfer to a greased 3-qt. baking dish.
Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until set. Top with marshmallows; return to oven until they just begin to puff and melt, about 5-10 minutes. Yield: 10-12 servings.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I love these! Our Best Bites has a great recipe for these. I cheat and buy a bag of plain frozen sweet potato fries. I put them in a big bowl and toss them with oil and the spices in the recipe and bake them.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Honey-Lime Dip
Recipe by Our Best Bites
1 lb peeled sweet potatoes cut into 1/4″ match-sticks
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t coriander
1 t kosher salt
1 t parsley
1/8 tsp black pepper
*you want 1lb sweet potatoes after they are peeled, sliced, etc. If you weigh them at the store make sure you have a little more than a pound to allow for the peeling, and tossing of small pieces.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl combine cumin, oregano, coriander, salt, parsley, and pepper.
Place sweet potatoes in a pile directly on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Use hands to toss until all pieces are well coated. Sprinkle seasoning mixture on top and toss again with hands to coat.
Arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer so that pieces are not touching each other. Place pan in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Use a metal spatula to gently flip fries and then return pan to oven. Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes or until fries are starting to lightly brown and crisp. Remove pan from oven and cool 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Honey-Lime Dip
6oz container plain, low-fat yogurt
1 T mayo (low cal is fine)
1/2 T honey
1 Tbs fresh lime juice
1/4 t cumin
1/8 t oregano
1 t parsley
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t kosher salt

Roasted Carrots- Cook's Illustrated

1 1/2 lbs. carrots, peeled, halved crosswise, and cut lengthwise if necessary to create even pieces
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Table salt and pepper

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. In large bowl, combine carrots with butter, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; toss to coat. Transfer carrots to foil- or parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and spread in single layer.


2. Cover baking sheet tightly with foil and cook for 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to cook, stirring twice, until carrots are well browned and tender, 30 to 35 minutes.

*I haven't tried the sauce yet. We really liked the roasted carrots.

Optional Chermoula Sauce

1 tablespoon oil
1 medium garlic clove , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon

While carrots roast, heat 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, paprika, cumin, and cayenne in small skillet over medium-low heat; cook, stirring frequently until sizzling and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and cool to room temperature, then stir in cilantro and lemon juice.


4. Transfer roasted carrots to serving bowl and toss with oil mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Streusel Topping for Sweet Potatoes

If you are not fond of marshmallows on top of your Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes try this streusel topping instead. This should make enough for a 9x13 dish. This is from Cook's Illustrated.

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces and softened, plus a little extra for
greasing the pan
1 cup pecans

Butter the dish. Pulse flour, brown sugar, and salt in food processor until blended, about 4 1 second pulses. Sprinkle butter pieces over flour mixture and pulse until crumbly mass forms, six to eight 1 second pulses. Sprinkle nuts over mixture and pulse until combined but some large nut pieces remain, four to six 1 second pulses. Sprinkle topping over sweet potatoes, breaking up any large pieces with fingers. The original recipe says to bake til topping is well browned and filling is slightly puffed around the edges about 40 min and baking at 375 degrees.
Depending on what type of filling you use the baking time may vary. If you oven tends to run hot you may want to reduce the temperature to 350 degrees.

Creamy Sweet Potatoes

Servings 10-12
Prep Time: 15 min.
Bake Time 40 min.

Ingredients:
5 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cooked
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Marshmallows

In a large bowl, mash sweet potatoes. Add eggs, orange juice, butter, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and salt; mix well. Transfer to a greased 3 qt baking dish. (I used a 9x13 pan) Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until set. Top with marshmallows; return to oven until they just begin to puff and melt about 5-10 minutes.

Oven Fries

This is from Zonya.com


Preheat oven to 375°.
Coat a nonstick baking sheet with cooking spray.
4 med (6 oz each) baking potatoes
(also try sweet potatoes, they’re great!)
1 T oil (canola or olive)
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash or Spike seasoning (salt-free) or any seasonings you like.
salt, pepper and ketchup

Thoroughly wash and scrub—peel if non-organic potatoes. (See tip above.) Cut lengthwise into wedges. Place in bowl. Drizzle oil over potatoes and toss.
Sprinkle seasonings over potatoes and toss. Spread seasoned potato wedges over baking sheet.
Set timer and bake 50 minutes or until tender. At the sound of the timer, transfer to a serving dish.
Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with ketchup.
Note: Ore Ida now makes frozen potato wedges, which are almost exactly the same as these. Buying
their product will save you from scrubbing and slicing potatoes (about 10 minutes).

Broccoli-Bacon Salad

2 Heads broccoli, cut into small bite-sized pieces
1 small red onion, chopped
2 T. Bacon bits/real bacon cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup sliced/slivered almonds

Toss all ingredients together.

Dressing:

2/3 c Miracle Whip
1 1/2 T. apple cider vinegar
1/2 c sugar

Mix together and pour over salad, and toss.

Spinach Dip

This is Zoila Schank's recipe for the dip that she brought to the piano recital.

Knorr Spinach Dip
1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 container (16 oz.) sour cream
1 cup Mayo
1 pkg Knorr Vegetable recipe mix
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional)--I left these out.
3 green onions, chopped (optional)--I usually use 4.

Combine all ingredients and chill about 2hrs.
Serve in a bread bowl with favorite dippers.

4 Cups Dip/Prep Time: 10 minutes/ Chill Time: 2hrs.

Smashed Red Potatoes

We love these!!!

2 lbs. red potatoes, unpeeled and scrubbed
Table salt
1 bay leaf
4 T. butter, melted and warm
½ c cream cheese (4 oz) room temp ( I like to use 6 oz. and you can use the 1/3 less fat cream cheese, it still tastes really good- just not as tangy)

1. Place potatoes in large saucepan and cover wit 1 in. cold water; add 1 tsp salt and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer gently until paring knife can be inserted into potatoes wit no resistance, 35-45 min. Reserve ½ c cooking water, then drain potatoes. Return to pot, discard bay leaf, and allow potatoes to stand in pot, uncovered, til surfaces are dry, about 5 min.
2. While potatoes dry, whisk melted butter and softened cream cheese in bowl until smooth and fully incorporated. Add ¼ c of reserved cooking water, ½ tsp pepper and ½ tsp salt. Using rubber spatula or back of large spoon, smash potatoes just enough to break skins. Fold in butter-cream cheese mix until most of liquid has been absorbed and chunks of potatoes remain. Add more cooking water 1 T. at a time as needed, until potatoes are slightly looser than desired (potatoes with thicken slightly with standing). Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Can make ahead and keep in crock pot on warm for up to 2 hours.