Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges with Chili

• 2 to 3 medium sweet potatoes
• 
  
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt 
  
  
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Optional:  lime, cut into sections for squeezing over


1. Preheat oven to 425°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, combine the salt, chili and garlic powders, and pepper.  Set aside.
3. Cut each potato in half widthwise, then cut each half into 8 wedges.
4. On the prepared pan, toss potatoes with oil, then the spice mixture until coated. Arrange wedges, cut sides down.
5. Roast potatoes until browned and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with additional salt, if desired, before serving.  They will not be crisp but still yummy!
6. Serve with lime sections.  Squeeze on the potatoes for a nice tang.

Sweet Spiced Nuts

These are so addicting!  If they are out, it is so easy to grab a handful and munch, then go back for another handful!  Keep them in an airtight container, and they will keep for a few weeks.  They are a great gift in an attractive glass jar, tied with a festive ribbon.

1/4 C butter (1/2 stick)

1/3 C dark-brown sugar (70 g)

1/3 C white granulated sugar (65 g)

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg, chile powder, ground cumin*

1/8-1/4 tsp smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and/or black pepper*

1 pound walnut or pecan halves (about 5 cups)

1 egg white, room temperature

1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 325°F.  Line a 13”x18” sheet pan with heavy duty foil. Cut butter into 4-5 slices and lay in pan.  Place in oven to melt.  Remove when melted, but you may need to put back into the oven briefly to liquefy it again later.

Mix sugars, salt, and *whatever spices you want to use, making sure there are no lumps; set aside. Beat egg white and water until frothy but not stiff. Add walnuts, and stir to coat evenly. Sprinkle nuts with sugar mixture, and toss until evenly coated.  Carefully pour in the melted butter and mix again.  It’s not necessary to get it all the butter, because it will keep the nuts from sticking.

Spread the nuts into a single layer in the buttered pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.  They will look golden when done.  Watch carefully during the last 10 minutes so they don’t burn.  Remove from oven, and let the nuts cool. When completely cool, pour the nuts into a bowl, breaking up any that stick together.

These are great for munching on, but also good chopped coarsely and sprinkled on ice cream, or whipped cream on any dessert.

Jenn’s Potato Casserole

Jenn described this delicious recipe.  It just sounded so good!  I’ve changed it from a rich dinner side dish to a breakfast casserole with the addition of the sausage and chiles.

4-6 C shredded cooked potatoes (or use Simply Potatoes in refrig. section or make your own)*

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1-2 C sour cream

2 C shredded cheddar cheese

1 4 oz can chopped chiles-optional

1 package cooked sausage-optional (That Jimmy Dean stuff!) or diced ham

 **2 C crushed corn flakes mixed with 1/4 C melted butter

         Mix altogether, except corn flakes and melted butter.  Put into a greased 9 x 13” baking dish.  Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.  **Add topping and bake 10-15 more minutes.

*Of course it can be made with boiled shredded potatoes.  Cook until very soft and it becomes a very creamy dish.  It can be served as a side dish for an elegant dinner-- without the sausage and chiles.

Brown Butter Raspberry Tart

If you don't like rolling out a crust, this one's for you.  You just press it into the pan.                  

Crust:

·     7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted* (save light-colored pan to melt butter for filling)

·     1/3 cup sugar

·     1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

·     1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour

·     Pinch of salt

Filling:

·     1/2 cup sugar

·     2 large eggs

·     Pinch of salt

·     1/4 cup all purpose flour

·     1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·     1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter*

·      2 6-ounce containers fresh raspberries or 2 peaches, sliced

For crust:

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Using rubber spatula or fork, mix melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl. Add flour and salt and stir until incorporated. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Using fingertips, press dough evenly on bottom and up about 3/4" the sides of pan.

Bake crust until golden, about 15-18 minutes (crust may puff slightly while baking). Transfer crust to rack and cool in pan. Maintain oven temperature.

For filling:

Whisk sugar, eggs, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add flour and vanilla; whisk until smooth. Cook butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until deep nutty brown (do not burn), stirring often, about 6 minutes. Immediately pour browned butter into glass measuring cup (to keep from burning). Gradually whisk browned butter into sugar-egg mixture; whisk until well blended.

Arrange raspberries/peaches into bottom of cooled crust. Carefully pour browned butter mixture evenly over berries. Place tart on rimmed baking sheet. Bake tart until filling is puffed and golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Cool tart completely in pan on rack. 

Remove tart pan sides. Place tart on platter. Cut into wedges and serve.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead.  Cover and store at room temperature, but it might get soggy overnight. 

*Test-kitchen tip:  When browning butter, use a saucepan with a light-colored bottom so that you can gauge the color of the butter.

Cream of Steak Soup

This was on the menu of a San Francisco restaurant.  

I believe they grilled the meat for extra flavor.

1½ - 2 lb round steak, sliced into thin strips

½-1 C butter                              1 large can tomatoes, diced

1 C flour                                    3 qts beef broth

5 stalks celery, diced                1 T Worcestershire sauce

2 large carrots, diced                salt and pepper to taste

1 large onion, diced                   

½ lb mushrooms, chopped          1½ C half and half

            Slowly brown beef in a large heavy pot with some of the butter.  Add raw vegetables, rest of the butter, and the flour.  Mix well and cook for 10 minutes or until the butter incorporates.  Add tomatoes, broth, and seasonings.  Simmer for about 1-1½ hours or until meat is tender.  Stir occasionally to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pan.           

            Add cream and cook for 5 more minutes.

          This soup can be frozen for later use.  If it gets too thick, add more broth or water; then adjust seasonings.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

This is another recipe from a faculty potluck.  Teachers are great cooks, too.

1 Tbsp butter                              ½ tsp nutmeg

1 medium onion, chopped           1 can cream of mushroom soup  

1 C broth                                    1 C sour cream

1 10 oz frozen chopped broccoli, slightly thawed 

           OR 2 C fresh broccoli, cooked and chopped

In saucepan, sauté the onion in the butter until softened.  Add the broth, broccoli, and nutmeg.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.  Pour hot mixture into a blender with some soup.  Hold lid down tightly and blend on high speed until smooth or to your desired amount of chunkiness. Add sour cream and blend again for 5 seconds.  (I leave some chunks, using an immersion blender.)

Serve hot or cold. (Nutmeg flavor shines better when heated.)  This soup mellows and tastes better if made at least 24 hours before serving.  May be stored in the refrigerator up to a week.                                              Serves 6           

Fukunaga French Toast

Many of the recipes that have become favorites come from Sunset.  This one is from their Breakfast and Brunch Cookbook. It’s a splurge of calories, but once in awhile, go for it!  Serve with sausage and syrup.

1 loaf sourdough bread, sliced 1” thick

½ C flour                                  6 eggs

2 Tbsp sugar                            1 ½ C milk

½ tsp cinnamon                         salad oil for cooking

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

            Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl or 9 x 13” pan.  In another bowl, beat eggs and mix in milk.  Whisk into dry ingredients.  Add bread slices and soak until completely saturated.

            In a wide frying pan over medium low heat, add about ¼ inch of oil. When oil is hot, add a few slices at a time.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until browned and slightly puffy; turn and brown other side. Drain on paper towels; keep warm.  Repeat until all slices have been cooked.