Sweet Potato Breakfast Burritos

January 10, 2013

I’m married to a burrito man. Whenever I’m not the in the mood to cook (which is more often than I’d like to admit lately) and Dustin is in charge of finding himself some dinner, he usually comes home with a burrito. Or if we go out to eat together and the menu includes some form of a burrito- that’s what he’ll get. Why the burrito fixation? I can only guess. But probably because they’re reliably cheap and filling. And if done right, delicious.

I’m not much of a burrito chef. Hand me a tortilla and I’m most likely to make a quesadilla. But occasionally I catch the bug and find myself craving one too. Breakfast burritos are my favorite variety. I already have one version posted here. But this one has sweet potatoes! (And scrambled eggs, onions, garlic, peppers, and beans and cheese- everything essential.) I baked my sweet potatoes and mashed ’em with a little sour cream. But you could cube and roast them with the onion, pepper, and garlic to make a potato hash filling, which might be even more amazing. Oh, and go with the tomatillo salsa on this one. Yum.

Sweet Potato Breakfast Burritos

INGREDIENTS

2 medium sweet potatoes, baked or microwaved until tender
2 Tbsp. sour cream + more for serving
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 poblano or green bell pepper (I used a green bell pepper), seeded and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. cumin (or more to taste)
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika (or more to taste)
pinch Mexican oregano
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup canned pinto beans, drained and rinsed
4-6 large flour tortillas (4 if they are extra large, 6 if they are medium size), warmed
8 large eggs, whisked
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
tomatillo salsa
avocado, sliced for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Peel the skin off the cooked sweet potatoes. Combine the sweet potato flesh with 2 Tbsp. sour cream and mash until smooth.

2. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook several minutes. Add the peppers and garlic and continue cooking until soft. Stir in the cumin, paprika, and oregano, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the beans and continue cooking until warmed through. Add to the sweet potato mixture and stir to combine.

3. Meanwhile, preheat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Lightly butter or coat with cooking spray and add the eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until scrambled (to the point of cooked, but not dry). Remove from the heat.

4. Preheat oven to 350 F.

5. Spoon filling into the center of a warm tortilla. Top with scrambled eggs and a generous amount of cheese and drizzle with salsa. Roll up and repeat with the remaning ingredients.

6. Place burritos on a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, until golden and warmed through. (You can butter or lightly coat the burritos with cooking spray before baking so they get nice and crunchy on the outside.) Serve with sliced avocado and extra sour cream and salsa.

Makes 4-6 burritos (depending on size).

(Adapted from Fork Heart Knife)

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Chocolate Chip, Butterscotch, and Walnut Cookie Bars

December 26, 2012

This recipe isn’t much different than our favorite chocolate chip cookies. But it’s baked in bar form, which results in a giant soft/gooey cookie than can be cut into bite-size bars for sharing (or not). And it’s stuffed with walnuts and butterscotch chips in addition to the chocolate. There’s something about those butterscotch morsels that I can’t resist. While I thought they were perfect as written, you could use almonds or cashews in place of the walnuts. And then there are endless options with dark chocolate and white chocolate and peanut butter, etc. chips. However you make them, they’re likely to disappear fast.

Chocolate Chip, Butterscotch, and Walnut Cookie Bars

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar (I used dark brown)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup walnuts, chopped (toast for even more flavor)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.

2. With an electric mixer on medium, cream butter, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer running on low, gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and walnuts by hand.

4. Drop dough into the prepared baking dish and spread with a spatula until even. Bake in preheated oven for about 18 minutes, until the edges and top are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack before cutting into bars and serving.

Fills a 9×13 pan.

(Adapted from Passports and Pancakes)

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Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos

December 20, 2012

I wasn’t expecting much when I threw this dinner together. I’d seen sweet potato tacos floating around a few food blogs and thought they sounded healthy and easy. (And sweet potatoes are a staple around here as they are a favorite of our now-eating-real-food baby.) Much like my attitude towards pizza toppings, if it’ll fit inside a taco shell, I’m bound to try it out. These tacos were a pleasant surprise. A meal worth sharing and repeating.  I roasted them for maximum flavor- tossed with peppers, onion, garlic, and some earthy spices (which you shouldn’t hesitate to experiment with). The additional fillings are also up to you, but I highly recommend the chipotle cream (which has just a touch of heat) and some fresh (preferably homemade) salsa. And I would have included avocado if I had one.

Despite the fact that baby girl is almost 8 months old, I’m still proud of myself when I get a home-cooked meal on the table. (Which means that I also managed to get dressed, shop for groceries, clean the kitchen…!) But I’m more motivated than ever as I’m cooking for her, too. We’ve given up on purees and started a different approach to feeding her called baby led weaning. So far it’s working great for all of us. I’m sure I’ll have more to tell on that topic later. But for now, if I don’t check back in before next week- Merry Christmas!! Have a wonderful holiday.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos

INGREDIENTS

3 medium or 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 bell pepper or poblano (I used a green bell pepper), seeded and diced
1 small white onion, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. Mexican oregano
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
pinch cayenne pepper (more or less depending on how much heat you want)
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
handful cilantro, chopped (more or less to taste)

1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. chipotle in adobo, minced
1/2 lime, juiced
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

8 flour or corn tortillas
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (or Pepper Jack or Cheddar, or Manchego)

fresh salsa or pico de gallo, for serving (optional)
avocado, for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray.

2. Toss sweet potatoes, pepper, onion, and garlic with olive oil, a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper, and spices. Spread in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender and browned. Remove from the oven and add black beans and cilantro; toss to combine.

3. Meanwhile, combine the sour cream, chipotle, and lime juice in a blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4. Heat a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add a tortilla, top with shredded cheese, and cook until the tortilla is lightly browned and the cheese is melted. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. (Already prepared tortillas can be placed on baking sheet in a 200 F oven to keep warm until serving.)

5. Spoon sweet potato filling into center of each tortilla. Drizzle with chipotle cream and top with fresh salsa and/or avocado.

Serves 3-4.

(Inspiration from here and here)

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Apple, Bacon, and Onion Pizza

October 26, 2012

Why didn’t I think of this? During my  4+ years of blogging and testing/perfecting/sharing well over 500 recipes, it never occurred to me to put apple on a pizza. And I’m the pizza queen. (You can find 30 variations in the index.) Bacon makes a regular appearance. And slinky-sweet caramelized onions are one of my favorite toppings. But bacon + onion + apple + cheese. The best idea I never had.

On the topic of cheese… I couldn’t make up my mind. Cheddar or gouda? Apples and cheddar just go together. But smoked gouda is always good. So I split the pizza in half, hoping to try them both and then decide. (You can tell- the left half was shredded gouda* that didn’t melt as well as the cheddar on the right.) But both halves were so delicious that I am refusing to pick a side. I’ll leave that up to you. Although, the best pieces were the ones where the cheddar and gouda collided. So why not use them together?

*I used Trader Joe’s smoked gouda that is tasty and inexpensive, but doesn’t melt exceptionally well. If you can afford to spend a little more, Whole Foods sells an applewood smoked gouda that is incredible and much creamier.

Apple, Bacon, and Onion Pizza

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe pizza dough
1 red onion, thinly sliced
drizzle olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and roughly chopped
1 large or 2 small honeycrisp apples, cored and thinly sliced
fresh sage, chiffonade
2 cups sharp white cheddar or smoked gouda (or a combination of the two)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare dough according to recipe directions.

2. While dough is rising, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft and caramelized, about 20 minutes.

3. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F.

4. Top prepared crust with caramelized onions, bacon, apple slices, sage, and cheese.

5. Bake in preheated oven on pizza stone for about 10 minutes, until the crust is puffed and golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Slice and serve.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(Adapted from How Sweet it Is)

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Pork Meatball Bahn Mi

October 19, 2012

I found this delectable sandwich during my hunt for dairy-free recipes. I didn’t get around to trying it until just recently. But I wish I hadn’t waited. It was insanely delicious. If you’re not familiar with the bahn mi, essentially it’s just a Vietnamese sandwich. “Bahn mi” literally means bread or baguette, which, as I just learned, was introduced to the country by French colonists. The chewy-soft rolls are commonly filled with meat, picked vegetables, cilantro, and finished with a spicy mayo. This version is stuffed with plump pork meatballs, along with the traditional fixings. The meatballs were warm and juicy, bursting with basil, garlic, and chili flavors- the perfect contrast to the sweet pickled carrot and radish and creamy hot mayonnaise. If you want to lighten things up, try using ground chicken or turkey. And if you’re feeling extra lazy, you could simply use thinly sliced or shredded roasted chicken breast- you’ll still have an awesome sandwich.

Pork Meatball Bahn Mi

INGREDIENTS

Pork Meatballs:
1 lb. ground pork (or chicken or turkey)
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 Tbsp. hot chili sauce (such as sambal oelek or sriracha)
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Pickled Vegetables:
2 cups carrot, coarsely grated or julienned
2 cups daikon (japanese radish) or regular radish and/or cucumber, coarsely grated or julienned
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. sesame oil

Hot Chili Mayonnaise:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)

1 Tbsp. sesame oil
4+ french rolls or pieces sliced baguette
cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced (if you didn’t pickle it)
jalapeno, thinly sliced into rings (optional, I’ve used pickled jalapeno as well)
fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS

1. To prepare the meatballs: Gently mix all ingredients in a large bowl and form into 1-inch meatballs (should yield about 24). Place on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use. (Can be made up to a day ahead of time.)

2. To prepare the pickled vegetables: In a medium bowl dissolve sugar in rice vinegar and season with kosher salt. Toss with carrot, daikon, and onion. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour (or refrigerate if made farther in advance).

3. To prepare the hot chili mayonnaise: Stir to combine mayonnaise, green onion, and chili sauce in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (Can be made up to a day ahead of time.)

4. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (You may want to divide the meatballs up and cook them in two batches.) Add meatballs and saute until browned and cooked through, about 10-15 minutes. Lower the heat if the meatballs are browning too quickly. (Already cooked meatballs can be kept warm on a baking sheet in a 300 F oven.)

5. To assemble the sandwiches: Slice rolls in half and remove enough bread out of the center so you have a 1/2-inch thick shell. Spread with hot chili mayo. Arrange cucumber, jalapeno (optional), and cilantro on the bottom halves. Top with meatballs and pickled vegetables and serve.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

(Adapted from Bon Appetit)

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