Rosemary Lemon Roasted Beets and Potatoes

Three things… One. I have a ton of beets, but that is because I have been taking mostly beets at the farm share pickup (I am scared I will run out so I hoard them) Two.  See that roasting pan? I got it a couple weekends ago  at a barn sale for 75 cents. Isn't it awesome! (it is so awesome) So I really wanted to roast something in it. And three. Roasting means the oven is on and it has been chilly chilly at night (LOVE IT) but I am not willing to turn the heater on in my house until at least the first  of November. Until then, we will just roast all of our food for warmth.

But really, there is no better reason then that beets are tasty and potatoes are tasty. Together, they are super duper tasty. The combination, with the lemon and rosemary giving the dish  a fresh and vibrant boast,  satisfies that person who says he doesn't like beets (the mr, but he eats them so yeah.) and me, who would rather just eat all beets (I ate some of the potatoes)  

Yup, rosemary lemon beets and potatoes.  A simple dish that screams fall, warm comfort food, and just happens to be really pretty too. (especially served in my awesome roasting pan)

The stuff. A couple of beets and a couple of potatoes. Some fresh rosemary (can use dried), a lemon, salt and pepper and olive oil. 

Preheat the oven to 450 and chop up the potato and beets into chunks that will fit in your mouth and dump the chunks into a bowl. 

Mince up the rosemary.. unless you don't mind eating long, kind sharp pieces

Drizzle a bit of olive oil, add in the zest of the lemon, add a good few pinches of salt and pepper and toss in the rosemary and give it a good mix.

Dump onto a baking sheet or in a roasting pan (seriously, this roasting pan is SO PRETTY) Cut the lemon in half and squeeze on half of the lemon juice on the veggies. 

And into the oven it goes. 

All roasted up and ready to go.

 Those colors.. the smell. So good!

Happy weekend people! 

-C

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Rosemary Lemon Roasted Beets and Potatoes

Serves 2-3 as a side 

• 2-3 large beets
• 2-3 large white or red potatoes 
• a few sprigs of fresh rosemary( about 2 tablespoons.. can used dried, just decrease quantity a little)
• 1 lemon
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil

Preheat oven to 450

Wash beets and potatoes well then dice them up into mouth sized pieces and toss into a bowl. Drizzle with  enough olive oil to coat the stuff, zest the lemon and add the zest to the bowl, and  cut lemon in half and squeeze half of the lemon juice in.  Oh, and mince up the rosemary and toss that in too. Season with salt and pepper to taste (potatoes like salt) toss it all around until everything is all coated and dump onto a baking sheet or into a roasting pan and stick into the oven for about 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and crunchy tender.

Remove, squeeze the remaining half of lemon on top and serve!

Pumpkin Black bean Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Sauce

For a quite a while now (like at least a year)  the mr and I have had a standing Tuesday night dinner date with my sister Shannon. It's been great. We don't get to see each other as much as we would like so having a day where we can catch up and hang out is really nice. Plus, I get to make her dinner and I love to make her food cause she really likes the stuff I make.

 Well over the course of the past month we have not had our Tuesday dinners (always her fault… sick kids or some shit)

But last week, I was determined. I miss my sister and was real pumped to make her some food. So I sent her a text a few days before, saying dinner for sure no excuses! Then texted her again that Tuesday morning… just to make absolutely sure…. And she said yes Hooray! Sister time, I was excited.

But then sometime around lunch she sent me this  "I know I am really lame, but going to have to cancel tonight.".

Thoughts that ran through my head.. "That BITCH!.. and What the FU*K!.. and can she be anymore of a butt hole?"

But it ok, I get it. She is constantly working and taking care of monsters (the kids) and things happen.  I am really not mad, I just really miss my sister, So whatever, she canceled, but I still wanted to make what I planned on making and that's  what I did. These enchiladas, so freaking good, ! And it's really to bad that she ditched us cause I know that she would have been all up in these.

So it's Tueday again. I talked to her last night. She says we are on for dinner tonight… My hopes are high, but I think I am going to have a back up dinner plan. And if she cancels tonight, I am going to spray paint boobs on her front door.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Now to the enchiladas!

The stuff. Pumpkin of course!.plus the seeds in that pumpkin. We also need black beans, red onion, garlic and kale. Paprika, cumin, chili powder, salt pepper and olive oil  Thats for the filling. Now for the sauce we need tomatillos, another onion, jalaepnos, lemon, parsley (I wanted to use cilantro, but couldn't find any so you can use either) We are going to use salt, pepper and oil in this too. And some tortillas to wrap it all in!

First off, turn the oven on to 400.

Now grab the tomatillos and remove the outer skins. Chop up the white onion and the jalapeños and toss everything into a lightly oiled skillet. Sprinkle l with a bit of salt and stick it into the oven to roast.

Now we need the seeds from the pumpkin so slice the pumpkin in half and remove all the seed and guts. 

Gather the seeds, rinse and dry them and toss them into a lightly oiled skillet (or baking sheet) and stick those into the oven too.

While the stuff is in the oven roasting, grab a chunk of pumpkin (with skin on, or if you want you can peel it, but it really is pointless) and shred.. and shred until you have about 2 1/2- 3 cups worth or pumpkin. Also , small dice the red onion and mince up the garlic while you are at it.

Place the onion and garlic in lightly oiled skillet and cook for a few minutes, then toss in the pumpkin with a few splashed  of water. Cook a bit longer until the pumpkin is starting to become tender. Now toss in the spices and the beans and mix it all around.

And lastely, chop up the kale and mix that into the skillet as well. 

After the filling is made, the stuff in the oven is most likely done. When the tomatillos and onions are all soft and roasted and the seed are golden brown and crunchy remove them from the oven.

Pour the roasted tomatillos noon and peppers, the juice of the lemon, a handful of roasted seeds, and the fresh herbs into a blender with a drizzle of olive oil and blend until smooth.

Now all the stuff is ready to go.

A big scoop of pumpkin bean mixute in a tortilla. Wrap it up and stick into pan seam down (I used the same skillet that I roast the tomatillos in) . Repeat until stuff is gone (make sure the enchiladas are all nice and snug) then pour sauce all over.(you can use all the sauce or save a little for to serve with)

And into the oven goes!

After about 20 minute, the sauce is thick, the edges of the wraps are a little crispy, and it is all ready for eating

Garnish with more roasted seeds and some chopped up green stuff!

 And eat you heart out!

And this is why you don not want to cancel dinner plans with me!

Happy Tuesday People!

-C

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Pumpkin Blak Bean Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Sauce  

• 1 small sugar pie pumpkin (only going to use about 3 cups shredded so you are going to have some left over,Maybe Pie?)
• 2 cups cooked black beans
• 1 small red onion
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• few kale leaves
• 1-2 teaspoons Paprika*
• 1-2 teaspoons chili powder*
• 1-2 teaspoons cumin*
• salt and pepper to taste
• 5-6 medium sized flour torilttas (or any kind you like)

For the Tomatillo Sauce

• 1 pint tomatillos  
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1-2 jalapeños  (or none if you don't want them)
• 1 lemon
• handful of toasted pumpkin seeds 
• A bunch of fresh cilantro or parsley 
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil 

*Use a teaspoon of each, taste, then add more if you want… I like a lot of spice so I used a lot. 

Preheat oven to 400

Chop your pumpkin in half and coop out the seeds. Rinse them, dry them and toss them onto a lightly oiled skillet or baking pan and stick into the oven to roast until golden brown and crispy, giving them a little stir after about 15 minutes   Should take about 20-30 minutes. 

For the sauce ...

Grab the tomatillos, the yellow onion, and the jalapeños. Remove papery skins from the tomatillos and toss into a lightly oiled skillet. Cut the jalapeños in half (remove seeds and ribs) and chop up the onion into a few chunks. Toss that into the skillet too. Sprinkle with salt and stick that into the oven . Cook until tomatillos are soft, (stab them with a fork, if they kind of pop, they are done) and the onion iand pepper is tender.. about 25-30 minutes.   When done, remove form oven, let cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a blender. Add in a handful of toasted pumpkin seeds, the juice of the lemon,, and the pare sly or cilantro. Blend until smooth. 

For the filling... (I do this while the stuff is in the oven)

 Grab the red onion dice it small, and grab the garlic and mince it and toss into a skillet.  Drizzle with a tiny oil. and a pinch of salt and place on the stove on medium low heat to soften a bit.  Take a chunk of pumpkin and shred it until you get about 2 1/2- 3 cups of pumpkin. Toss the shredded pumpkin into the skillet with the cooking onion and mix in the spices and a splash or two on water. Let cook on stove for about 8-10 minutes, or until pumpkin is slightly tender. Now mix in the beans and chop up the kale leaves into little pieces and toss that in too. Mix it all around and remove from heat. .

To assemble. 

Take a big scoop of the filling and place in a flour tortilla. Roll up and place,seem down, into a skillet or roasting pan (I used the skillet I roasted the tomatillos in) Repeat until you have used up all the filling. The enchiladas should be snug.

Now pour the sauce all over eht op, spreading it over the sides. You can use all the sauce you made, or save little for serving)

Place into oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until the sauce is starting to become a lithe golden brown. Remove, let cool for a few minutes, and finsih with a handful of toasted pumpkin seeds and some pretty green stuff.

And eat. A fork an knife are handy.

Hot Sauce

Have I told you that my CSA is totally awesome? Well, if I haven't yet, consider yourself  told. Anyway, one of the coolest thing that the farm does  for it's members is they plant a variety of pick your own crops. There are strawberries, beans, tomatoes, herbs, flowers, and some other stuff. We also get to pick hot peppers.  Yes. Lot and lots of hot peppers. And not just jalapeños. They have like 5 different varieties, inching habanero. And there are a ton.  SO many, in fact, that I don't even bother picking the amount that I am allowed. (15 hot peppers a week.. my butthole would kill me) But I did pick a bunch (I went with the red jalapeños which are mother f-ing HOT) and made me some hot oh hot sauce!

Note to anyone that is handling hot peppers. Watch where you stick your hands. I cut up jalapeños a lot, and most of the time I am pretty good about not touching anything, but once in a while I will cut up a pepper, not wash my hands, then maybe scratch my leg.. Then I might rub my eyes, or pick my nose (might to might not happened) And it's not instantaneous. It starts low and slow, then all of a sudden, you shit is burning and your like "What the Hell!! I am on FIRE!. And then you might thick to yourself "Oh shit, do I have a flesh eating virus?  Should I be concerned?"  (Me after a particularly itchy night, making some salsa,. Good thing the mr was there ego tell me I was being a dumb ass and cutting up peppers at dinner) So yeah. not flesh eating virus, but never the less, don't touch!

Now lets make so Freaking HOT SAUCE! 

The stuff. ! butt load of red jalapeños (you can use green), a red bell pepper, an onion, a few cloves of garlic, salt, vinegar, oil and water. 

Grab yourself a big pot, roughly chop up the onion and garlic and toss it into that pot with a drizzle of olive oil and a few splsahes of water. Stick it on the stove on medium heat and let cook while you cut up the peppers. 

So the peppers. First thing first…..Coat your hands with oil (or use gloves) and don't touch anything on you body! This is a critical  if you do not want you hands, then your face, probably part of you leg, and definitely behind you ears , to burn like a mother.

Now cut the stems off, slice the peppers in half and remove the seeds and ribs. I find using a big spoon to scoop and scrap the seeds and ribs out to work the best, but do it any way you please. Also leave the seed sin rips in if you want.. it just makes the sauce that much hotter. (I would usually but again, these peppers are fire f-ing hot!)

Once de-seeded and ribbed, chop up the pepper and the jalapeños into chunks.

Toss into the pot with the onions and garlic thats on the stove and add in water and a sprinkle of salt. Stick back on stove, bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium and stick a lid on pot.

After about 25 minutes or so, the peppers are soft and falling apart and the liquid has reduced to about 1/2… Thats when is time...

Note. Watch you face when you open you pot to check.. Don't stick you face in the pot as soon as you remove the lid, or you will get a ace of spicy hot stem that will burn your eyeballs.

Now dump it all in,including liquid ,into a blender. Add in 1/2 cup of vinegar and a sprinkle of salt then turn it on. (Make sure to have the lid on… no one wants to clean up a hot sauce mess!) Blend for however long it takes for the sauce to be smooth.

Super smooth and saucy.. Give it a taste. Does it need more vinegar? How about a little more salt? Are you wishing you had a little more sweetness to it? Add what you need.. More vinegar, more salt, or a teaspoon or two of some honey or sugar.. it is your hot sauce after all.

And when you are happy with the taste.. pour into bottles. And then pour in everything!

Happy Friday..Make it hot!

-C

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Hot Sauce 

Makkes about 4 cups

• 15-18 jalapeños
• 4-5 cloves galric
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow onion
• 1/2-1 cup white vinegar
• 2 cups water
• salt (to taste)
• oil or rubber gloves 

Dice the onion and garlic and stick not a heavy bottom pot with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and a splash of water. Place on low heat and let cook.

After thats on the stove oil you hands, and de-stem the jalapeños and the red pepper, removing the seeds and ribs. IF you want, you can totally leave the seeds and ribs in if you want, it makes the sauce even hotter. 

Chop peppers into smallish chunks and toss into the pot writ the galic and onion. Add about 2 cups or so of water, bring to a boil, then let simmer for about 25-30 minutes, or until the peppers are nice and soft.

Dump peppers into a blender  with 1/2 cup of vinegar and blend. Taste the sauce, and if you like it there, stop, or add in more if you taste wants it. You can also add in more salt, maybe some other flavor spices, or even a little honey to sweeten it a bit.

Pour into containers and enjoy! 

This sauce will last sat least 4 months in the fridge (If not eaten all by then)

Arugula Pesto-Delicata Squash-and Cashew Cheese Pizza

Hey there people.. It's FRIDAY!!! and I gots another pizza here that will knock your socks off (I am back to wearing socks, are you?)

So the mr is trying to not eat quite as much cheese lately (he really likes to eat cheese). But he also can not live (happily) without eating pizza and I usually make his pizzas with cheese. So me being the best girl friend ever went out of my lovely way to make him a pizza without dairy cheese. And who said that pizza need real cheese? I bet there is somebody, but I don't care, and neither did the mr. He was all into this, no dairy cheese in sight. Plus bonus for me, I didn't have to grate cheese (worst activity ever!) 

Anyway, let's talk about this pizza. The toppings alone are HELL YEAH! Arugula pesto , which is bitter, and spicy. Delicata squash that is smooth, sweet and creamy, and  cashew cheese brings it all together with a cheesy, creamy, sweet, tanginess….. I mean, are you drooling yet? And let's just look at how pretty it is.. So pretty, which makes the whole thing that much better. 

A pizza tha will make just about anyone happy, full of so much fantastic flavor and not covered in a bunch of grease and gross. One could eat the entire thing and really not feel so bad about it. It's kind of the perfect pizza. 

So onwards! Go make pizza!

The stuff. A pizza dough (homemade or store bought.. whatever works for you). Some cashew cheese (slightly watered down so it pourable) and a delicata squash.  For the pesto… arugula, garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, olive oil and a little salt.

To make the pesto toss the arugaula, lemon juice, garlic,a pitch of salt,  and the nutritional yeast into a food processor. Start the thing and slowly drizzle a little olive oil in as its going until it all comes together and looks all creamy pesto nice like.

Grab the squash and slice it up into 1/4 inch think pieces. Once it's sliced, the seeds come out  really easily with a spoon or you fingers, so remove those but don't toss them! Roast them, either now or save for later

Roll , stretch, toss your dough and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet, or in a skillet however you like to bake you pizza) and start  adding the toppings. Arugula pesto..delicata squash and lastly, cashew cheese spattered all over.

Looking good and ready for the hot oven.

And after some time… Crispy. golden brown crust. The Delicatia is nice and soft and the cashew cheese is starting to brown(just a bit)

Cut into slices and serves with extra arugula (if you want). 

Have the best weekend. Go do something fall-ish.  (I am going PUMPKIN PICKING!)

Happy Friday!

-C

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Arugula Pesto-Delicata Squash-Cashew Cheese Pizza

• pizza dough for a 12 inch pizza * (use any dough, this recipe or store bought)
• 1 cup cashew cheese (recipe here), slightly thinned out with water to like melted ice cream consistency 
• 1 delicata squash

For the pesto

• 3-4 large handfuls of arugula
• 4 cloves of garlic
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons nutrional yeast
• olive oil (1-2 tablespoons
• salt and pepper

*Note. Make sure to set you pizza dough out for at least 15-20 minutes to let it rest and come to room temperature

Preheat oven to 450

Roll out pizza dough to about a 12 inch circle or square (whatever shape you want) and place in or on a lightly oiled baking sheet or skillet (or whatever you like to bake you pizzas on)  Drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil and set aside.

Take arugula, garlic, nutritional yeat and lemon juice and stick into a food processor. Turn on and blend, drizzling in a little olive oil until all the stuff comes together and is all pesto like. Season with salt. Now take your squash and slice it into 1/4 ish rounds. Remove the seeds (scrap out with a spoon or just push them out of the whole with your fingers) 

Grab the dough, smear on a good amount of pesto (you don't need to use it all) layer the delicata rounds on top of that, and then drip, splatter,our pour the cashew cheese on top of that.

Stick into hot oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until crust and cashew cheese is golden brown.

Remove from oven, let cool for a minute, cut into slices and serve with extra fresh arugula and a bit more nutritional yeast.

Eat and eat.    

Pear Almond Oat Crumble Bars

This treat is a long time coming, like almost a years time…Let me explain. 

One of the littles had requested a dessert of some type of almond pear situation for his birthday…..last year. Of course I said yes, no problem, for your birthday, you got it. But I never got it. I actually completely forgot. Then a few months later, I remebemered, felt like a big D-bag and told  myself I still had to make something for the guy… and I forgot again. Next time I remembered, I had just bought a bunch of pears and that was it. Make the kid something you bitch (is what I told myself) but heres the thing, I figured he forgot too and those pears were mighty tasty.(I know I am horrible) 

So just last week I was at the store, meandering through the produce, and noticed that local pears were on sale. This was it. I knew it had to be done. I bought a large quantity (enough to bake with and eat) and got to making that little his birthday treat request. I went with bars.. nothing to sweet, nothing to crazy, lot and lots of almond and pear flavors. Perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack, and made even better by the fact that they were made for him, and it isn't even his birthday.

So I made them, and brought them to his house, waited for him to get off the bus from school, and handed him his long awaited pear almond treat. He was so happy, it made me feel like shit.(I so should have made him something a year ago)  But oh well,  he got them right? And this way is much more a surprise then if I had actually made them when I said that I would. An unexpected, not your birthday, birthday treat!

Right here guys…Still the Best Aunt EVER!

The stuff. Alond flour, oat flour, baking soda ,salt, earth balance and a little honey. We also need some rolled oaths almond butter and almonds. And of course we need pears, with a little corn starch and a smidge of cinnamon.

Nice ripe pears get thinly sliced, seeds and stems removed.

Tossed into a bowl with the starch and cinnamon and set aside. 

The oat and almond flour gets mixed together with the salt and the baking soda, then mix together with the earth balance and honey until it turns into a dough.( I used my hands to mix it together…it worked better then a fork)

Break off about a 1/4 of the dough and stick back in bowl. Take the rest and evenly press into the bottom of a 9x9 baking pan.

Take the remaing dough and mix in the almonds, oats, and almond butter to form the crumble.

Dump the pears on the crust, making sure the are level and pretty evenly layered.

And crumble the crumble on top.

Give it a little press to compact the crumble and into the oven it goes!

When all browned and crispy and nice, remove from oven and let cool. Cut into squares and go for it.

Look at that, so much goodness.Go ME! 

Happy Wednesday people!

-C

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Pear Almond Oat Crumble Squares

For the crust and crumble

• 1 1/2 cup oat flour
• 1 1/2 cup almond  flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup earth balance (can use butter)
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/4 cup almonds

For the pear filling

• 4-5 ripe pears
• 2 tablespoons corn or arrowroot starch
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl, mix together the almond and oat flour, baking soda, and salt. Add in the earth balance and honey and mix together until a dough forms (I find using my hands to work swell). Roll dough into a blob and tear about 1/4 of the dough away and set back into bowl. Press the remaining dough into he bottom of a 9X9 inch baking pan. With the remaining dough, mix the rolled oats, the almond butter and the chopped almonds and set aside again.

Now slice up your pears  into 1/4 inch thick slices (remove seeds and stems) and toss into a bowl with the cinnamon and starch. Take pears and layer ontop of the crust, trying to keep the pears evenly distributed. And dump and distribute the crumble topping all over the pears. Gie the whole thing a few pats to compress the crumble a bit.

Stick into the oven and bake for about 45 minutes, or until the crumble topping is all nice and brown and crispy. 

Remove from the oven, let cool and cut into squares. 

Great as breakfast lunch snack or dinner. Eat with you hands and lick crumbs off plate.