Week 73: Sweet Potato, Apple, and Caramelized Onion Gratin

Have you ever found a recipe that, after trying it, you wanted to immediately make it for everyone you know? You feel like you have hit a culinary jackpot, and you just need to share the wealth?

For example, when I first made Poblano and Mushroom Tacos from Epicurious, I wanted to quit my day job and spend eternity making these vegetarian masterpieces. Okay...maybe a SLIGHT exaggeration.

Well, I have struck gold once again, my friends. I knew that this dish had potential. When I saw all of those ingredients that I loved in the TITLE of the dish, and saw it was followed by a word synonymous with CHEESE, I knew I was in for a treat.

Here's the thing, though: It is not in the least bit healthy. I'm talking heavy whipping cream, FULL fat sour cream, and cheddar cheese. This is okay for the occasional treat, but if I make this a habit, I'm going to have to invest in a new wardrobe in the next size up. If you know how many clothes I tend to buy, this could get quite expensive. AND THEN I MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO BUY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THIS DISH! Woe.

Year of Yum Rating: 5 STARS

INGREDIENTS
1 medium sweet potato, (ridiculously) thinly sliced
1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 cup caramelized onions
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 cup full fat sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon cornstarch

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 375F and spray a small casserole dish with non-stick spray.

In a small bowl mix the cornstarch into the cream, then blend in the sour cream. Set aside.

In another small bowl mix together the salt, cinnamon, coriander, and smoked paprika until evenly mixed. Set aside.

In the prepared casserole dish layer 1/3 of the sweet potatoes, apples, and caramelized onions. Dust with 1/3 of the spice mixture then add 1/3 of the cheese and pour over 1/3 of the cream mixture. Repeat two more times.

Bake the gratin covered in foil for 40 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, our until the gratin is bubbling and the cheese has browned.

Week 68: Grilled Fontina, Mushroom, and Sage Sandwiches

Good news: I haven't dropped off the face of the Earth.

Bad news: A few of our recipes have gotten forgotten in all the craziness that's been going on.

Can I make it up to you with a WHOLE LOT OF MUSHROOMS? Let's hope so, because that's what you're about to get...

Year of Yum Rating: 4 STARS

This was really delicious. Unfortunately I didn't really feel like eating at the time, so I may not have given this yummy sandwich a very fair shot. I should probably try making it again soon. Just to be fair...

INGREDIENTS
3 Tablespoons butter (2 melted)
1/2 pounds mushrooms (cut into thin slices)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
4 teaspoons chopped fresh sage (or 1 1/4 teaspoons dried sage)
8 slices bread
1/2 pounds fontina (this cheese was HEAVEN in my mouth)

DIRECTIONS
1) In a large nonstick frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter over moderate heat. Add the mushrooms, salt, pepper, and dried sage, if using, and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the fresh sage, if using. Put the mushrooms in a bowl and wipe out the pan.

2) Using a pastry brush, coat one side of 4 slices of the bread with half of the melted butter. Put them, buttered-side down, on a work surface. Top the bread with the cheese and then the mushrooms. Cover with the remaining 4 slices of bread; brush the tops with the remaining melted butter.

3) Heat the frying pan over moderately low heat. Add the sandwiches and cook, turning once, until golden, about 2 minutes per side.



This recipe even came with a wine recommendation! How fancy! Try a crisp, dry, Italian white, such as Soave, Frascati, or pinot grigio to refresh your mouth after every bite of this flavorful sandwich.

Week 64: Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onion, and Smoked Salmon Pizza

Listen up. This pizza is somethin' special. Something I would be proud to serve to dinner guests. Not to mention the fact that this is the only dish I've had that has made me think that I just might have a future with a fish that is not out of a can.

This pizza features SWEET caramelized onions, SALTY goat cheese, SMOKY salmon, PEPPERY arugula, and (get ready for this...) SOUR lemons. Wow.

Next time:

-More lemon...I want some in EVERY bite
-I made sure to leave plenty of crust on the outside to hold on to when eating the pizza, but every bite that didn't have toppings made me sad. Handle shmandle.
-Something I did right = get premade crust from Papa Murphy's, and just baked the pizza on that cardboard circle it comes on. I'll definitely do that again.

Year of Yum Rating: 4 1/2 STARS

INGREDIENTS
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, sliced thin
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 batch of pizza dough
salt, for sprinkling
4 oz smoked salmon, sliced
olive oil
fresh arugula
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1 lemon, sliced thin (we used a meyer lemon)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 500°F with pizza stone or thin baking sheet on the bottom rack (unless your crust is already on a handy-dandy cardboard disk).

Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide sauté pan on medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for one minute. Add brown sugar. Continue to sauté for 10-15 minutes until the onions are soft, sweet, and brownish. Remove from heat.

Sprinkle some salt on the dough and then distribute the toppings: arugula, caramelized onions, goat cheese, prosciutto, and lemon slices. Put the pizza in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until desired doneness.

Week 54: Pesto Mac and Goat Cheese

The perfect meal for rainy weather? Mac and Cheese. But you wouldn't expect us to make NORMAL mac and cheese, would you? This week's variation of an already-delicious dish uses goat cheese (salty deliciousness) and pesto. I also liked how the sauce stuck on the minature shells.

While it was still wonderful reheated as a leftover, it lost that great panko breadcrumb crunch that it had straight out of the oven. I also found the recipe slightly confusing to follow, but it's also likely that I was just distracted by the prospect of eating something that smelled this yummy.

Year of Yum Rating: 4 1/2 STARS

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for baking dish
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil leaves
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 3/4 cups Parmesan
1 pound mini pasta shells
2 cups half-and-half
16 ounces goat cheese
1/2 cup pesto sauce, store-bought or home-made
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Butter a 2 quart baking dish. Preheat the broiler and arrange a rack on top.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small pan over low heat. In a large bowl add the garlic, basil, panko, and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan. Add the melted butter and toss to combine. Reserve.

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, put the half-and-half in a small pot and bring to a simmer over low heat. Simmer until reduced and slightly thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta. Put the pot over low heat and add the half-and-half mixture. When it simmers, add the goat cheese and whisk until smooth. Add in the remaining Parmesan and whisk until melted.

Add the pasta and stir to coat. Stir in the pesto, reserved cooking water, salt, and pepper. Season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper, if needed.

Pour the pasta mixture into the buttered baking dish and top with the panko mixture. Put under the broiler until the mixture bubbles and the top is browned, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the broiler and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Week 49: Grilled Cheese with Apples and Broccoli Soup

I already love grilled cheese, but adding the tartness of Granny Smith apples to the sandwich made it that much yummier! I originally had wanted to make parsnip soup to go with our sandwiches, but I had a little parsnip drama, so I found a broccoli soup recipe instead. I wanted a soup recipe that was a little lighter, and less creamy. It got its creaminess from a potato.

Year of Yum Rating: 4 1/2 STARS for the Sandwich, and 3 1/2 STARS for the soup

INGREDIENTS

Sandwich:
bread of your choice
cheddar cheese
Granny Smith apple
butter

Soup:
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cubed
4 cups fresh broccoli, including stems, chopped
2 cups low-sodium, fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk

DIRECTIONS
Heat oil on medium heat in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Gently sauté onion and celery for 3-4 minutes, until onion is softened. Add potato and chopped broccoli, followed by the broth and milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Allow soup to cool slightly, then transfer to a blender in 2-3 batches, and blend until smooth. Return soup to pot and heat gently until ready to serve. In the meantime, make your delicious sandwiches.

Week 47: Quinoa Cakes with Spinach and Goat Cheese

I found this recipe on the "Barefoot Kitchen" blog as a good way to use leftover quinoa. I didn't have any leftover, but still really wanted to try this recipe. Quinoa, spinach, and goat cheese are all things I really enjoy anyway, but the idea of frying them all three together just about blew my mind.

We ate them on a bed of fresh spinach, and we concocted a yogurt dipping sauce to go with them. Abby and I pretty much just threw random spices into plain Greek yogurt until we were satisfied with the flavor.

Overall, these were good, but it was hard for me to justify making already-delicious quinoa, and making it greasy and unhealthy. I would probably try it again, but as a special treat only!

Year of Yum Rating: 3 STARS

INGREDIENTS

2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked quinoa
4 ounces goat cheese
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper
olive oil for frying

DIRECTIONS
1. Wash and chop the spinach, pat dry. Mince the garlic. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet. Cook the garlic until lightly browned, about a minute, then add the spinach. Cover, and cook until wilted. Set aside and let cool.

2. In a small saucepan, mix the quinoa and the goat cheese over low heat (to help melt the cheese). Remove from heat when well combined.




3. Chop the cooked spinach finely, mix with the quinoa and goat cheese. Beat the egg and mix in until everything is combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Heat a layer of olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Form the quinoa into 2″ patties about 1/2 inch thick. Drop into the oil and cook until well browned on one side, 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side, then set on paper towels to drain.







Abby's leftovers, in a neatly-crafted duck container...