Sweet Roasted Carrots

Carrots are always a great vegetable. I saw my local grocery store was advertising organic rainbow carrots...actually it was full size carrots.  The reality was they were baby carrots and I'm not fond of the way they make them but there were some in the bag that I figured were really baby carrots so I went with them.  I've made honey roasted before and decided to add a hint of real maple syrup to these.

Sweet Roasted Carrots

1# carrots, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces

1 tbsp pure maple syrup

2 tbsp honey

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp salt

Mix maple syrup, honey and olive oil together.  Spread out the carrots on a non-stick foil lined baking pan.  Pour the syrup mixture over and move the carrots around the pan so all sides are coated.  Sprinkle salt on top.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350°, stirring at 15 minutes.

If you are wondering about how baby carrots are made...google it and how they are preserved.  It seems to wipe out any "organic" benefits.  

Maple Roasted Squash

One of the reasons that I love Fall is the appearance of squash in the supermarkets that is locally grown.  I tried growing my own and got lots of beautiful flowers but yielded no squash.  I usually just cut them in half and place a little water in the bottom of the pan and steam them, season with salt and pepper and lots of butter.  I decided to try something new this time.  There's just a faint hint of the maple syrup...nothing over the top with this recipe.  

Maple Roasted Squash

1 Kaboucha squash, skinned and cut into cubes
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp real maple syrup
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Skin and cut the squash into cubes - mine were 3/4 - 1" in size.  Place into a large bowl.  Drizzle the olive oil, syrup, salt and cinnamon on top.  Use your hands and toss the squash cubes so it's all evenly coated.  Turn out onto a non-stick aluminum foil lined jelly roll pan.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350°.

Sweet & Spicy Roasted Carrots

These carrots are sure to please even the fussiest vegetable eater in your home.  The brown sugar makes this sweet vegetable more so and the little kick from cayenne will please the older eaters.

Sweet & Spicy Roasted Carrots

1# fresh regular carrots or baby carrots
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne

Place the carrots on a non-stick baking sheet or use non-stick aluminum foil for an easy clean up.  In a small saucepan, combine the rest of the ingredients.  Stir until the butter has melted and everything is combined.  Pour over the carrots and bake for 45 minutes (or until fork tender) at 350°.

Farro, Corn & Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I realize that this sounds like a unique combination but everything does work well together.  It's a great side dish that goes with everything.  Farro is fast becoming my favorite grain.  It's very hearty.  If you have problems finding it at your grocery store, you can substitute in barley.

Farro, Corn & Roasted Sweet Potatoes

1 sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2" pieces.

Place sweet potato pieces on a non-stick pan and sprinkle 1 tbsp. of olive oil over.  Bake for 20-30 minutes at 350°. 

While the sweet potato is roasting, combine the following in a medium saucepan.

1/2 cup farro, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt

Simmer until tender - approximately 20 minutes.  Drain and hold for remaining ingredients.

2 ears sweet corn, cut kernels from cobs
2 tbsp. butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme

In a frying pan, melt butter.  Add in corn kernels and cook for 3 minutes.  Add in garlic and thyme. 

Add in cooked corn and roasted sweet potato into the drained farro.  Season with additional salt if needed and freshly ground pepper.

Oven Roasted Vegetables

I had a mixture of fresh vegetables in the house and decided to combine them for an easy side dish to go along with the turkey breast that I made.  This is an easy way to make them and clean up is even easier since you use a plastic bag to add spices and oils to the vegetables and bake them on a lined baking sheet pan.

Oven Roasted Vegetables

12 fingerling potatoes, cooked and cooled

2 carrots, peeled and cut in 1/2" slices

3/4# green beans, cleaned

Seasoning ~

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp Italian Seasonings

Cut fingerling potatoes in half lengthwise, and place in a gallon plastic bag.   Add in the rest of the vegetables, olive oil and spices.  Close top and shake until spices and oil are evenly distributed.  Place on a non-stick aluminum foil lined baking sheet.  Bake for 45 minutes at 350°.

Tuscan Fried Corn

I've been waiting for fresh vegetables all winter long and now that they are appearing in the grocery stores and at the Farmer's Market, the wait is over.  My little vegetable garden is just making it's appearance from the ground so I'll have to wait a little bit for them.  I've grilled sweet corn so far and now it's time for a new way to serve fresh corn.  Cutting the corn from the cobs is easy.  Just make sure you put it in a 9 x 9 pan or something similar to hold the kernels as you cut them off.

Tuscan Fried Corn

4 ears corn, shucked and sliced from ears
2 tbsp butter
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 slices Prosciutto, cut into ribbons
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Melt butter in a large frying pan.  Add in corn and Prosciutto and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes stirring often.  Add in salt, freshly ground pepper and red pepper flakes.  Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese.

Bacon Green Beans With Pine Nuts

It's hard to come up with a new way to flavor vegetables.  I decided to try a few additions to green beans and I liked how it turned out.  I've used bacon before (with pears) so I wanted to try that again but this time with toasted pine nuts.  The pine nuts are so good on their own that I might try making a snack mix with them sometime.

Bacon Green Beans With Pine Nuts

1# green beans, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

2 slices bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces, cooked and drained

1 tbsp butter

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cook green beans in salted water.  Drain, toss in butter, bacon, pine nuts and seasonings.  Serve immediately.

Grilled Honey Butter Sweet Corn

Another grilling favorite of mine is sweet corn. It's so easy.  Just place in aluminum foil, season however you like, seal the seams of the foil and place on the grill to cook.  Clean up is even easier!

Grilled Honey Butter Sweet Corn

Honey butter ~

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp honey

Mix together.  Easy, right?

Rub the butter mixture on 3-6 ears of corn.  Place on top of heavy duty aluminum foil.  Sprinkle oregano and freshly ground pepper on top.  Wrap up the foil into a packet.  Place on indirect heat on the grill and cook for 15 minutes.  Careful opening the packet - it will be hot and there will be steam.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes & Green Beans

An easy side to make in the oven or on the grill plus it's a tasty way to use fresh vegetables that are a perfect match for whatever meat you have on the grill.  

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes & Green Beans

1 1/2# fingerling potatoes, cut at an diagonal
10 oz fresh green beans
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika


Place cut fingerling potatoes on a large baking sheet.  Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil on top and bake at 325° for a half hour.  Remove from oven, stir and top with green beans.  Sprinkle another tablespoon of olive oil on top and season with paprika, salt and pepper.  Return to oven for another half hour.  

Mexican Fried Corn

Corn on the cob is back in the grocery stores and it's been looking fairly good.  I bought 4 ears in hopes that they would be cooked on the grill but the weather is still in Spring denial.  Since I was already making other Mexican foods, I decided to make a fried corn with some Mexican flavors.

Mexican Fried Corn

4 ears sweet corn
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup onion, minced
2 tbsp chopped green chilies
1/2 tsp oregano
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Slice the corn downward from the cob.  I place it in a bowl so kernels aren't flying all over the kitchen counter.

Place the corn, onion, green chilies and butter in a heated saute pan and cook for 10 minutes.  Stir often. Add in oregano, salt and pepper.

Italian Roasted Tomatoes

Wow.  Am I glad that I had extra tomatoes on hand to play with in the kitchen.  The aroma of these baking is like a pizza but without the bread.

Italian Roasted Tomatoes

2 tomatoes, sliced 1/4" thick
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1/3 cup Romano Pecorino cheese, grated  
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
dried oregano

Place the tomato slices on a non-stick aluminum foil or parchment lined baking sheet.  Drizzle the slices with olive oil and season them with salt and pepper.  Layer the mozzarella and Romano cheeses on top of the tomatoes.  Sprinkle a little oregano on top of each slice.  Bake for 20 minutes at 400°.

Cinnamon Honey Roasted Autumn Vegetables

There's no denying that these vegetables are my favorites and putting together with honey and cinnamon is just a win-win situation.

Cinnamon Honey Roasted Autumn Vegetables

1 sweet potato
2 large carrots
1 small buttercup squash

3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1 generous pinch of sea salt

Peel and diced all the vegetables.  In a large bowl, combine honey, olive oil and spices.  Add in vegetables and toss.  Spread out on a baking sheet lined with non-stick aluminum foil.  Bake for 40 minutes at 350°.

Squash With A Savory Farro Topping

I love squash.  I've been buying it, baking it and storing it away in the freezer like a squirrel stocking up nuts for the winter.  It's my favorite vegetable and will over pay for it in the bleak winter months after my stash has been exhausted.  But I'm also basically a squash purist.  I like it with butter, salt and pepper.  My mom adds in brown sugar but I've never found it necessary.  So it was a major baby step for me to add a savory topping to today's baking.  I did freeze two containers before starting because I had some large Kabocha's and it was overloading my casserole dish.  I had picked up the Farro because it seemed like a fun new-to-me grain to try out.  It added a nice nutty texture.

Squash With A Savory Farro Topping

2 Kabocha squash or Green Hubbard, cut in half, seeds scooped out and baked face down on a aluminum foil lined pan with 1/4 cup water to steam the squash.  Bake at 350° until tender.  Let cool for 10 minutes and then scoop out into a casserole dish.  Add in 4 tbsp of butter, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.  Mix together.

Farro Topping

1/3 cup Farro cooked in 1 cup of water over a low boil for 20 minutes.  Drain and let cool

Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a saute pan.  Add in ~

cooked Farro
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp garlic powder

Lightly toast and top the squash.  Return to oven for 15 minutes.  

Breakfast Maple Sweet Potatoes

I enjoy quirky breakfasts and I put today's breakfast into that category since most people wouldn't consider having a sweet potato in the morning.  I plan or at least have an idea of what recipes I want to experiment with on weekends except this one.  I wanted something that would be easy to prepare since I'm also watching ESPN's Game Day since my town is featured today.  

Breakfast Maple Sweet Potatoes

2 good sized sweet potatoes
2-3 slices maple bacon, cooked and crumbled

Maple Crumble ~

1/4 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp cashews, chopped
2 tbsp maple syrup (don't skimp, get the good stuff)
Pinch of salt

Fork prick the sweet potatoes, wrap in foil and bake for 1 hour at 350°.  While they are baking, cook and crumble the bacon and make your maple crumble.  In a small bowl, (I used a metal one so I could place it in the oven and not dirty another dish), combine all the ingredients.  Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  When potatoes are done, remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.  Slice open, mash slightly with a fork and add the bacon and crumble on top.  Breakfast is served.

Bacon Corn Chowder

It's a rainy day here in the valley.  I had a refrigerator full of veggies from my CSA that needed some attention so what better way to use the corn on the cob, carrots and potatoes than with a soul warming soup.

Bacon Corn Chowder

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
4 cups milk
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 large potatoes (or 6 small), peeled and diced
6 ears of corn, shucked and cut off cobs
1/4 tsp paprika
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 thick slices of bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces and cooked until fat has rendered off

In a large saucepan or dutch oven, melt the butter and stir in the flour.  Gradually whisk milk into the flour mixture.  Bring to a simmer and add in the carrots, potatoes and bay leaf.  When slightly tender, add in corn, bacon and seasonings.

Bacon Roasted Potatoes

The crisper the better.  That's why I like making these potatoes so much.  Nice crisp potato pieces and this time I added Parmesan cheese and bacon. 

Bacon Roasted Potatoes

3 red potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 slices bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tbsp parsley

Cook potatoes in water until fork tender.  Drain and spread out on a baking sheet that has the olive oil sprinkled over it.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bake at 400°.  Turn frequently.  When nice and crispy on all sides, sprinkle on bacon, Parmesan and parsley before putting in a serving dish.

Parmesan Fried Corn

Corn season is here, late but plentiful.  I've already frozen some so I wanted to try frying some since that uses quite a bit from my overflowing refrigerator.

Parmesan Fried Corn

6 ears corn, shucked and sliced from ears
2 tbsp butter
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Melt butter in a large frying pan.  Add in corn and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes stirring often.  Add in salt, freshly ground pepper and red pepper flakes.  Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese.

Bacon & Cotija Corn

It's finally corn season at my CSA which means it's also time to start making room in the freezer.  I did a quick look in my refrigerator to see how I could start off creating recipes to use with it and this is what I came up with.  This recipe is easy to figure out how to increase the amounts needed if you're cooking more than 2 ears of corn.  I chose to make it in the oven in an aluminum foil packet with a tablespoon of butter and a teaspoon of water to steam in.  I thought about the grill but when I opened the garage and got hit with a wall of heat, I quickly retreated back to central air.

Bacon & Cotija Corn

2 ears corn
2 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 tbsp Cotija cheese, grated
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

I wanted to try mashed sweet potatoes again but this time making them the same way as I normally do with I bake them - with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.  

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

2 large sweet potatoes
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon


Boil peeled and diced sweet potatoes until fork tender.  Drain and add in butter.  Mash and add in brown sugar and cinnamon.  

Parmesan Roasted Carrots & Potatoes

My CSA is bringing us lots of carrots this year so I'm trying to find new ways to use them.  Today I made these and they are absolutely delicious!  

Parmesan Roasted Carrots & Potatoes

3 large carrots 
1 large potato
extra virgin olive oil
Paprika
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Slice carrots and potato in 1/4" slices.  Put in a large saucepan and bring to a boil for 10 minutes.  Drain and allow to cool enough to handle.  Place on a greased baking sheet (I used a spray olive oil on the pan).  Drizzle olive oil on top and add seasonings.  Bake for 20 minutes at 350°.  Remove from oven and sprinkle on Parmesan cheese.  Return to oven for a minute and place in a serving bowl.