Sweet Potato Foil Packets

I make a lot of different recipes.  I am always trying new foods and revamping old ones.  So when a tried and true, beloved recipe like this one isn't already shared on the blog, I'm always a little surprised.  It can be hard to keep track of what I have and haven't posted.  Sometimes I make a recipe with the intention of posting it and then forget to take pictures.  Sometimes I've just been making something for so long, I don't even realize I haven't posted it!  I made these last week, then was surprised to discover I had never posted the recipe, but I had forgotten to take pictures.  Nobody complained when I made them again this week so that I could take those photos. 

We all just adore the rich, complex flavor of these.  Definitely don't skimp on the tomatoes--I am not a huge tomato lover so the first time I made these, I went a little light on the tomatoes and I have never made that mistake again.  The bright, juicy little twang they add is the perfect complement to the beans and sweet potatoes--the tomatoes are actually my favorite part of the dish.  Also, I love the flexibility these give me in my dinner prep.  I often assemble them early in the day, then keep them in the fridge until dinner time when all I have to do is throw them in the oven.  They have become my go-to meal to bring to new moms, as well--then I bring them over anytime and they can put them in the oven when they want them.

Sweet Potato Foil Packets

Number of Servings: 6
Time to Prepare: 45 minutes

• 1 1/2 to 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2-3 Tbsp taco seasoning (I usually make my own, but a store-bought packet works great too)
• 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes (about 5-6 cups)
• 2 Tbsp butter
• kosher salt
• 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 3 to 4 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a small mixing bowl, combine black beans, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning.  Stir to coat and set aside.

Set out six pieces of foil (each about 12" long) and spray each lightly with cooking spray.  Place about 1 cup of sweet potato cubes in the center of each foil piece.  Top with a small pat of butter (about 1 tsp) and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt.  Sprinkle the chopped spinach over the sweet potatoes, then top with the bean mixture, the tomatoes, and the cheese. 

Bring the long sides of the foil together over the filling and fold, rolling down, to seal.  Roll up the ends and crimp shut to make a packet.  Place the packets on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.  You can serve them topped with sour cream, salsa, avocado, etc. but we usually just eat them as is!

Source: adapted from Perry's Plate
Produce Used: Sweet potato, spinach, tomato

Teriyaki Salmon with Guacamole and Sriracha Mayo

This salmon turns out beautifully tender and juicy.  The homemade teriyaki sauce is literally drinkable, with the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and salty.  Top that with the spiciness of the sriracha mayo plus the creaminess of the guacamole and you have the perfect storm of happiness in your mouth.  It really is beautiful the way all these different flavors come together and complement each other to make a mouth-watering and lovely dish.  It is pretty impressive looking, but comes together in less than half an hour!

Teriyaki Salmon with Guacamole and Sriracha Mayo

Number of Servings: 6
Time to Prepare: 25 minutes

• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp cold water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 6 (6 oz) salmon fillets
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tsp sriracha
• 1/2 tsp honey
• 1 tsp lime juice
• about 1 cup prepared guacamole
• 2-3 green onions, chopped

In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, and pepper and whisk together.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until sauce is thickened and bubbly.  Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Coat a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray.  Place the salmon fillets in the pan, skin side down.  Set aside about 1/3 of the teriyaki sauce and use the remaining sauce to brush the tops of the salmon liberally.  Bake for about 15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees.

While salmon cooks, whisk together mayonnaise, sriracha, honey, and lime juice in a small bowl.

When the salmon is cooked, place it on a serving dish and brush with reserved teriyaki sauce.  Top with a large dollop of guacamole and drizzle with sriracha mayo, then sprinkle with chopped green onion.

Source: inspired by Damn Delicious
Produce Used: Garlic, lime, avocado, green onion

Coconut Curried Lentils

Do you eat lentils much?  You should!  They are high in protein, low in fat, and loaded with all sorts of vitamins and minerals.  Also, they're cheap and pretty shelf-stable so they are easy to keep on hand.  This recipe for curried lentils really makes them special, too.  It has a great earthy flavor to it, with a kick of brightness from the lemon and a hint of sweetness from the shredded coconut.  Also, it's vegetarian so if that's your thing (or the thing of somebody you're cooking for), this is a good, delicious way to get in that protein. 

Coconut Curried Lentils

Time to Prepare: 1 hour 20 minutes
Number of Servings: 8

• 2 cups dried lentils
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (or canola oil)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 cups diced tomatoes (can use canned or fresh)
• 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• kosher salt
• black pepper
• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 3-4 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Rinse lentils and bring to a boil in a large pot of water.  Reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered until tender, about 30 minutes (cooking time may vary depending on which type of lentils you use).

Meanwhile, heat the oil over medium heat in another large pot.  Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and golden, about 15 minutes.  Reduce the heat if they are browning too quickly.  Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.  Add the mustard seeds, turmeric, and cayenne and cook for another 2 minutes or until fragrant (the mustard seeds may start to pop so just watch out for that).

Stir in the tomatoes and coconut milk, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the lentils are done cooking.  Add lentils to the sauce and stir well to combine.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes to thicken.  Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste (start with about 1 tsp and go from there).

While the lentils simmer, put the coconut in a small saute pan over medium-low heat and toast, stirring frequently, until golden brown.

Serve the lentils over rice, sprinkled with toasted coconut and chopped cilantro.

Source: adapted from Foodess
Produce Used: Onion, garlic, ginger, tomato, lemon, coconut, cilantro

Basil Coconut Curry Chicken

I have been wanting to post this recipe for a really long time and I keep taking pictures when I make it but they just never do it justice so I'm giving up and posting it anyway.  Don't let the picture fool you, this stuff is incredible.  It is creamy and rich without being heavy, with a little kick of spice and a hint of coconut.  This is easily my favorite curry recipe--I stock up on coconut milk just so I can make this anytime.  You toss the chicken in a spice blend and let it sit in the fridge for a couple hours, but beyond that this recipe comes together so fast, it takes longer to cook the rice than the curry.  And honestly, sometimes I don't plan ahead so I toss the chicken in the spice blend and only let it sit long enough for me to cut up the onion, garlic, and jalapeno.  It still turns out delicious and amazing.

Basil Coconut Curry Chicken

Time to Prepare: 1 hour 20 minutes (or just 20 minutes if you skip the chill time)
Number of Servings: 4

• 3-4 chicken breasts
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 jalapeno peppers (seeds and membranes removed), finely diced
• 1 Tbsp dried basil
• 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Cut chicken into 1" pieces and place in a medium bowl.  Combine curry powder, salt, pepper, and chili powder and sprinkle over the chicken.  Toss to coat, then cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add onion, garlic, jalapeno, and basil.  Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onion is translucent.  Add chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes, until cooked through.

Whisk together coconut milk and cornstarch.  Slowly pour into the skillet, stirring continuously.  Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly.   Stir in ginger and cook for another minute, stirring regularly.  Serve over rice.

Source: slightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Produce Used: Red onion, garlic, jalapeno, ginger

Strawberry Balsamic Bacon Pizza

Ok, I know this sounds weird, but stick with me.  Admittedly, I am not the biggest lover of traditional pizza, but this pizza, I absolutely adore.  The sweet-spicy sauce is a perfect complement to the savory chicken, the salty bacon, and the juicy strawberries.  This is a great summer pizza--when we starting being able to get strawberries at a decent price again, I knew right away I needed to make this pizza again.  Now, I do prefer my pizza with really thin crust so the cooking time and everything is based on that, but obviously feel free to do thicker crust and adjust accordingly.

Strawberry Balsamic Bacon Pizza

Time to Prepare: 45 minutes (when using already prepared pizza dough)
Number of Servings: 4 (two 10-12" thin crust pizzas)

• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup strawberry jam
• 1/2 tsp sriracha
• 1 ball of pizza dough (I used half of this recipe)
• 1 cup cooked, chopped chicken
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 oz freshly grated Parmesan
• 2-3 Tbsp minced cilantro
• 1/2 cup slivered strawberries

Heat the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and let cook until reduced by about half (around 4 minutes).  Whisk the strawberry jam and the sriracha into the balsamic reduction and set aside.

Move your oven rack to the lowest position, place your pizza stone on hit and heat your oven to 500 degrees.  You want the pizza stone to be in there for about 30 minutes so it gets nice and hot. 

Divide your dough into two pieces.  Roll one piece out into a circle about 10-12" in diameter.  Spread half the sauce over the crust.  Top with half the chicken, bacon, red onion, cheeses, cilantro, and strawberries.  Transfer the pizza to the stone and bake until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is browned, about 10 minutes.  Repeat with remaining dough ball, sauce, and toppings.

Produce Used: Red onion, cilantro, strawberries
Source: slightly adapted from Annie's Eats

Sweet Pork Dippers

As promised, a delicious recipe to use up the rest of the sweet pork and the cilantro ranch dressing I posted a couple days ago.  I basically always plan to make this recipe the day after I make the pork salad recipe.  It is one of those things that kind of surprises you with how much you love it, even though you've had it a bunch of times before.  It is always so yummy!  And if you're just using leftover pork and dressing like I usually do, it makes for a super easy dinner to throw together.  These make great appetizers, too if you want to go that route.  You really can't go wrong here.

Sweet Pork Dippers

Time to Prepare: 15 minutes (when using pre-made pork)
Number of Servings: 4-6

• 12 (7") flour tortillas
• 3 cups sweet pork (see recipe in previous post)
• 4 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Cilantro Ranch dressing (see recipe in previous post)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside.

Place three tortillas at a time between damp paper towels and warm in the microwave for 30 seconds, just to soften.

Spread 1/4 cup pork across the middle of each tortilla and roll tightly.  Place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.  Sprinkle the tops with shredded cheese and bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. 

Serve with cilantro ranch for dipping.

Source: adapted from sugar n' spice gals

Pork Salad or Pork Burritos

If you've heard of Cafe Rio then you probably know somebody who has a copycat version of their pork salad (or you have one yourself).  But just in case you don't have one or access to one, here is mine.  This is one of go-to meals for guests.  It's pretty easy to get prepped mostly in advance and it lets people personalize their own a bit.  Once I have all the parts made, I just set everything out and let everybody assemble their own--that way they can do a salad or a burrito, they can decide which things they want and how much of each, etc.  You will have extra pork and extra salad dressing leftover...save that.  I have another great recipe for you coming soon.

Pork Salad or Pork Burritos

Time to Prepare: 10 hours
Number of Servings: 6-8

Pork

• 4-6 lb pork roast
• water
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce
• 1 (12 oz) can Coca Cola

Pico de Gallo

• 4-5 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 5 green onions, sliced (green and white parts)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2 jalapeno, finely diced
• kosher salt to taste

Cilantro Ranch

• 1/4 cup Herdez green salsa
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup mayo
• 2 Tbsp Ranch dressing mix
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 bunch cilantro

 Green Chili Cilantro Rice

• 1 cup water, divided
• 1 (4.5 oz) can chopped green chilies
• 1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup packed cilantro
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup rice
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp butter

Salad/Burritos

• Flour tortillas
• Chopped romaine lettuce
• Shredded cheese (I like Monterrey Jack or Colby Jack)
• Canned black beans or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• Tortilla strips or chips
• Lime slices

For the pork, place the roast in a crock pot and cover with water.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  About 2 hours before eating, remove from crock pot and shred.  Dump out the water.  Combine the brown sugar, enchilada sauce, and Coca Cola in the crock pot and stir until well mixed.  Place the shredded pork back into the crock pot with the sauce and keep on low until ready to serve.  Use a slotted spoon to serve it so you don't get too much liquid on your salad/burrito.

While the pork cooks, you can make the pico de gallo and dressing, as well as shred the cheese, chop the lettuce, prep the beans, slice the limes, etc.

For the pico de gallo, combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (it is better if it has a few hours to sit and really let the flavors meld).

For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Refrigerate.

About 30 minutes before you want to eat, start the rice (everything else can pretty much be ready at this point).  In a blender, combine 1/2 cup water, chopped green chilies, onion, garlic, and cilantro and blend until smooth.  Set aside.  In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add rice, cooking and stirring for one minute.  Stir in green chili mixture, chicken broth, and remaining 1/2 cup water.  Drop in butter.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook for 20-25 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed.  Remove from heat and let sit, still covered, for 5 minutes.

Set out all ingredients and let everybody assemble their meal!

Produce Used: Tomato, green onion, garlic, lime, cilantro, jalapeno, onion
Source: slightly adapted from a recipe given to me by my good friend, Lia

Korean Beef

As per usual, I cannot vouch at all for the authenticity of this dish, but I can vouch for its deliciousness.  Honestly, I wasn't expecting a lot the first time I made this--I don't really make that many things with ground beef these days and I haven't missed it.  But let me tell you, this recipe has me stocking up my freezer with ground beef again.  The husband and the kids can't get enough of this either so it's hard to argue with that!  It also doesn't hurt that it comes together so quickly--it makes a great last minute meal but still tastes like it took time and effort.

Korean Beef

Time to Prepare: 20 minutes
Number of Servings: 4

• 1 pound ground beef
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 2-3 green onions, chopped
• sesame seeds
• hot cooked rice

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the beef, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces, until the meat is cooked through, 7-10 minutes.  Spoon excess grease out of the pan.

Whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, chicken broth, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and ginger.  Stir into the meat and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Serve over rice, topped with green onion and sesame seeds.

Produce Used: Garlic, green onion
Source: adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe