Baked potato or gourmet side?

Sweet potatoes are a nutritional power house in the kitchen. They contain high amounts of Vitamin A&C, B6, Potassium and Manganese. Plus, they are easy to bake and add great color to any plate. Normally, a baked potato is not a stunning side dish. This recipe brings them to an entirely different level. The piped compound butter and maple pecans elevate this dish. It makes a gourmet presentation. Keep the compound butter in the freezer for future use. The pecans can be used on salads, cheese plates, or eaten as a snack.

For another plating option, you could scoop out the flesh of the potatoes and combine it with some of the butter. Then place in a casserole dish. Heat up and top with pecans before serving. This would make an excellent dish to prepare for Thanksgiving day!

Sweet Potatoes with Spiced Butter and Maple Glazed Pecans

Serves: 5           Cook Time: 1 hour        Prep Time: 15 min

Sweet Potatoes

• 5 Sweet potatoes, washed

Spiced Butter

• 1 stick butter,softened
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/8 teaspoon cardamom
• half of orange zested
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• salt

Maple Glazed Pecans

• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place potatoes on parchment lined sheet tray evenly apart. Cook for 1 hour or until soft when pierced with a fork.


Combine butter, spices, salt, zest and juice. Then either pipe on sheet tray or place in saran wrap and form into a roll.


Bring maple syrup up to a boil. Then add pecans. Cook until thick and syrupy about 3-5 minutes. Place on a parchment lined sheet pan and let cool. Break apart and store in cool dry place.

Tip- Compound butter is a a butter that has spices, herbs or even fruit added. This adds extra flavor and the combinations are endless. It is often used as a sauce on steaks or fish. I encourage you to experiment with this in your own kitchen!

An elegant dessert that's perfect for entertaining!

Poached pears are an elegant dessert that can be made ahead of time. Therefore, it's wonderful for entertaining. Just make the pears the day before and let it sit overnight to chill. When your guests come over, impress them with this beautifully plated dessert.

As well as being an exquisite dessert, it sneaks in some nutritional benefits too. The amount of calories in poached pears is far less than the average dessert. They are high in fiber, vitamin C and potassium for a nutrient boost. Enjoy this dessert without all the guilt.

Raspberry Lambic Poached Pears

Ingredients

Serves: 5           Cook Time: 40 min        Prep Time: 10 min

• 5 pears, peeled and stem in
• 1 750 ml bottle raspberry lambic
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup pure cranberry juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 strips orange zest
• 3 cloves
• 4 ounces creme fraiche
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• mint and fresh raspberries for garnish

Directions

Reduce to a syrup

Simmering pears

Combine lambic, sugar, vanilla, bean, orange zest, cloves, cinnamon, and cranberry juice in sauce pot. Cook until sugar dissolves and mixture simmers. Add pears and simmer pears 20-25 minutes or until tender. Make sure to immerse all sides of pear in liquid to color evenly. Remove and let cool. Meanwhile reduce the sauce until thick and syrupy, about 20-30 minutes. Remove cloves, cinnamon and vanilla bean. For creme fraiche, combine it with powdered sugar, cream and vanilla. Slightly whip with whisk. Plate with raspberries, mint, creme fraiche and reduced sauce.

Beautifully Plated Pear

Thanksgiving side!

Green beans and Thanksgiving are like peanut butter and jelly. It's hard to have one without the other. Instead of the canned green bean casserole, give this a try. This dish is healthier than the original. It lacks all the preservatives and sodium, which provide off flavors and aftertastes. It is sure to impress your guests and it can be elevated to another level with homemade onion straws for garnish. When making it for company, blanch the green beans first and store in the fridge. On the day of the big event, saute the mushrooms an add your green beans to the mix.

Blanched and Shocked Green Beans

Sautéed Green Beans with Cremini Mushrooms

Sauteing Mushrooms

Serves: 4-6           Cook Time: 5 min        Prep Time: 5 min

• 3/4 lb of green beans, end trimmed                          
• 8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced                                
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil,divided
• 1 tablespoon butter
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Steam green beans until al dente or they still have a little crunch. Cool rapidly under cold water. Set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and butter in skillet until smoking. Add mushrooms and do not stir for 2-3 minutes. This creates a caramelization on the mushrooms, which gives a great boost of flavor. Once caramelization has occurred, stir your mushrooms and continue to cook until soft. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat remaining tablespoon of grapeseed oil until smoking. Add green beans and saute until heated through. Add mushrooms and season.

Beautiful Beans

It's easier than pie!

Apples are abundant in the fall and lend themselves to baking.  But who wants to make an apple pie?   Apple crisp is a wonderful substitute, because it's quick and easy.  It only takes a couple of apples and just a few staple ingredients.  This apple crisp has a few extra spices,but feel free to omit or substitute for what you have on hand. It's sure to warm your home as well as your heart with the bubbling, soft apples and crumbly topping.

Chai Spiced Apple Crisp

Serves: 4           Cook Time: 15 min        Prep Time: 10 min

• 3 tart medium to large apples, peeled and diced(such as granny smith and jonogold)
• 1 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• dash black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping Ingredients

Topping

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/3 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/8 cup flour
• 1/8 cup almond meal
• 1/4 cup, pecans toasted and chopped
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons crystallized ginger, minced

Directions

Apple Mixture

Combined Topping Ingredients

1. Fill with apples

2. Cover with topping

3. Fresh out of the oven

Combine apples, flour, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, and vanilla. Set aside. Combine all ingredients for topping. Fill four six ounce ramekins with apples. Top with 2-3 tablespoons of topping. Bake 375 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Garnish with ice cream or whipped cream and crystalized ginger. You can freeze leftover topping for future use.

A powerful green smoothie!

Have you heard all the rage about green smoothies? They are the latest and greatest food craze. It is basically a smoothie made mostly of kale, spinach, lettuce, parsley, celery etc. Given that there are many benefits to eating deliciously green veggies. My friend in dayton was nice enough to come over and experiment with me to come up with a delicious green smoothie. This is a slight variation of what we came up with. If you like to drink your veggies, give this green smoothie a try!

Smoothie Ingredients

Finished Smoothie

Green Smoothie

Serves: 2       Cook Time: 0 min       Prep Time: 5 min

• 1 cup pineapple, diced
• 1 apple, diced
• 11 oz coconut water
• 2 cups kale or spinach

Directions

Place all ingredients in a blender.  Blend until smooth and there are no chunks left.  Enjoy the health benefits and the great taste of this green drink!

Better than your average rice!

This rice is inspired by a restaurant I frequented in Athens, Ohio, Casa Nueva, it was one of my favorites during my time spent there. They focused on local and seasonal ingredients. They make amazing mexican food such as tacos, enchiladas and beans and rice. Many of their dishes are served with a fabulous herbed rice. It is simple, elegant, and elevates any dish. Now that I live in Dayton, I had to make my own version to bring me to back to that fantastic restaurant in Athens.

Herbed Jasmine Rice

Serves: 4          Cook Time: 25 min          Prep Time: 5 min

• 1 cup Jasmine Rice
• 1 1/2 cups water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tablespoon Butter
• 1 tablespoon Chives,chopped
• 3 tablespoon Italian Parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Basil, chiffonaded

Directions

Heat water until boiling. Add rice and salt. Stir to combine. Turn heat to low and cook covered for 15-20 minutes or until liquid has evaporated. Let sit covered 5-10 minutes. Fluff rice with fork and add herbs and butter.

A delicious way to serve brussel sprouts!

Brussel sprouts are an amazing vegetable. I don't think they get much credit in food world. I used to hate sprouts as a young child and even throughout high school. Then I had them roasted. It changed everything. It made them sweet,tender and gave a depth of flavor with crispy edges. Now this is the main way I prepare these wonderful tiny cabbages.

Roasting is a must learn technique. It makes so many vegetables shine, especially those that are earthy. It caramelizes the sugars to bring out an amazing sweetness. So I encourage you to give these veggies another try. You might be surprised at the results.

Don't be afraid to try them using other techniques as well. They are great shaved or chiffonade in salad. A quick saute with some pancetta. So enjoy these wonderful veggies and all their nutrients.

Balsamic Brussel Sprouts

Prepped Sprouts

Serves: 2-3           Cook Time: 20 min        Prep Time: 10 min

• 11 oz brussel sprouts,cut in half and trimmed
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• thick balsamic to drizzle
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Directions

Roasted Sprouts

Toss sprouts in oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until tender. While still warm, drizzle with balsamic and garnish with toasted pine nuts.

Sprouts in all their glory!