Sweet Potato Smothered Shrimp on Cheddar Corn Bread

I took a plane and headed down south for din din the other night.

Well, I don't know.

South.

South West.

Not really sure where I went.

Of course I'm talking metaphorically.

I wish I could hop on a plane and get down.

Like Louisiana or New Mexico or something.

And just eat, eat, eat my way through the city.

That sounds like a dreamy time to me.

Anyway, I wanted to make some shrimp but I wanted to try and make it hearty.

That's not always easy to do, you know.

Make a hearty seafood dish.

But I think this one qualifies and gets it done.

I put some crazy delicious spices on the shrimp and seared them in a really hot pan til they were perfect.

A little allspice, coriander, cumin, granulated garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper.

Don't really remember measurements, but those were the flavors.

Then I took them bad boys out and added about 3 tablespoons olive oil, chopped onion, 4 minced garlic cloves (cuz why add garlic if you're not going to ADD some GARLIC), and one big fat diced and peeled sweet potato.

I diced it really small so it would cook fast. About the same size as the onions.

I added salt and pepper and sprinkled 3 tablespoons flour and sauteed that around with all the vegetables for about one minute.

Then I added some veggie broth, 1 cup at a time, and stirred it around until the gravy thickened. Be sure to check for salt and pepper.

When the gravy is thickened, lower the heat and simmer it until the sweet potatoes are cooked through.

At the very end, add back in the shrimp and add one can of drained and rinsed black beans and a handful of chopped scallions.

Save some scallions to garnish with for a fresh onion kick.

I made a cheddar cornbread and smothered it with the shrimp and gravy.

It was all very delicious. The flavors were so good together. Like they were all playing in a band and making beautiful music together.

Try this supercalafragalistic way to prepare your shrimp.

It'll make a meat lover recognize the beauty of the ocean.

Mmmm mmmm good.

Sweetheart Sugar Cookies

How were your Valentine's Day treats lookin'?

Look what me and the kiddos whipped up!

These sweetheart cookies were some of the sweetest cookies I've ever made.

And I'm not talking just taste here.

Just look at 'em.

They're so cute!

The kids had a blast helping me decorate (and eat) all these cuties.

They helped come up with the sayings and got their fingers covered in icing.

It was such a fun time and their little belly's were sugar laden.

First I outlined the hearts with white icing and let that set.

Then we flooded the inside with different colors.

The more colors, the more elaborate the outcome.

After we let the colors dry, I went back and wrote on all of them.

That was the most fun.

You could put whatever you like on them.

Make them your own.

The kids liked the I heart U's, they came up with Sugar Pie and Cutie.

We gave these out to the kids' teachers, our mail lady and neighbors.

They all loved them so much and were so impressed by how professional they looked.

To be honest, so was I !

Homemade valentines for the boys' classes and cookies for the teachers.

The boys woke up Valentine's Day morning to their very own personalized cookie.

And what kid doesn't like waking up to a cookie for breakfast?

It's not everyday that we're eating sweets in the morning, but that's why it was so special for them.

Special day, special treat.

They loved it.

My personal favorite ...

tres chic.

It just looks fabulous, no?

I glamorized a cookie.

I had to do it.

And then I ate it.

You can make these for your sweetheart next Valentine's Day.

Or why wait til then?

Make them today!

They will LOVE them.

Alton Brown's Sugar Cookie recipe is the one I love to use all the time.

He's literally a food genius and I trust his recipes.

Not to mention it's really easy and quite delicious.

I used a corn syrup icing which sets and hardens the icing so much better than without it.

I rarely use corn syrup but trust me, this will make your cookies shiny and gorgeous.

Recipe here.

Happy Valentine's Day!

More pictures and recipe to follow for these adorable Sweetheart Sugar Cookies!

Have a beautiful day filled with sugar and spice and everything nice!

xo

Vegetarian Chipotle Enchilada Lasagna

Living in San Diego, one of the best and most popular foods around is Mexican.

There is a Mexican food joint on every corner.

It doesn't get better than a big plate of beans and rice and some sort of taco/burrito/enchilada for lunch or dinner.

I personally love enchiladas with red sauce.

I love the spice and the tang of it.

Not to mention how pretty it is.

And cheesy.

Cheesy is definitely an adjective I would use for Mexican food.

That's what makes it so darn delicious.

I had some people over for Sunday lunch and I decided to make a Mexican feast.

Instead of rolling each enchilada individually, I did it lasagna style.

I filled layers of tortillas, flour or corn (I used flour here), with a spicy mixture of ground cremini mushrooms with chipotles, black beans, and corn.

Layered, of course, with tons of cheesy goodness.

This is what it looked like.

It was really, really awesome.

The chipotle in it was insanely good.

It added just the right amount of heat, but not too overpowering.

But if you're not a fan of spicy, you can leave it out.

Served that baby up with some spanish rice and refried beans and lunch was served.

Mexicana style.

Ole.

CHIPOTLE ENCHILADA LASAGNA

2 lbs. cremini mushrooms, cleaned and chopped fine in food processor

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 chipotles in adobo sauce, minced fine

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup corn

Extra sharp cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, lots of it! (or any cheeses of your choice)

9 flour tortillas

Sour Cream

Scallions, sliced

1 bunch cilantro

In a food processor, chop the onions and garlic until finely chopped.

Remove and put in a skillet on medium high heat with a few tablespoons of oil.

In the same processor, pulse the mushrooms until chopped into little pieces.

Add the mushrooms to the skillet.

Season it with salt, pepper and add all the spices.

Cook for about 3-4 minutes then add the chipotles.

Saute about 10 minutes on medium high heat until the juice from the mushrooms and onions reduces out a bit so the mixture is not too loose.

Add the beans, corn and a generous handful of chopped cilantro and mix altogether.

Set aside and let the mixture cool.

In the meantime, make the enchilada sauce (if you want to make it from scratch.)

Or buy a can if you like.

Here is a good ENCHILADA SAUCE recipe from good ol' Emeril.

I can't remember everything I threw into mine...

it was like I was having a fight with the spice cabinet.

So it's best you follow someone else's recipe.

I've tried his, so I know it's good.

Ok , moving on.

So then you want to start assembling your beee-autiful little mexican lasagna.

Get a 9X13 pan and ladle some of your enchilada sauce on the bottom of it.

Overlap 3 flour tortillas to cover the bottom of the pan.

Put 1/2 of the mushroom mixture on top and spread evenly.

Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of cheese on top and follow with about 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce.

Then overlap 3 more flour tortillas and add the remaining mushroom mixture on top.

Add a little more cheese and a little more enchilada sauce.

Add the remaining tortillas and top with the remaining enchilada sauce.

Sprinkle with lots o' cheese and you're ready for baking!

At this point, you can either put it in the fridge until you're ready to cook it, or bake it off right away.

Preheat the oven to 400 and cover the lasagna with foil.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until it's hot and bubbly and oozing with ridiculousness.

I like to take the foil off at the end of baking and place it under the broiler to get a nice crust on the cheese, but that's up to you.

Top with sour cream, scallions and cilantro and get your fork ready for a work out.

You will devour this in an instant.

And then come back for more.

Trust.

This is a perfect meal to entertain with.

It can be done ahead of time and it cooks up beautifully.

Enjoy!

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Here's a lovely lil' gem I came across on the ever wonderful Pinterest.

Another genius way to utilize a vegetable.

Cauliflower, in my opinion, is quite the underused veggie.

It's so good if you cook it right.

But if you don't... your house will smell like a fart sandwich.

that's what my hubby calls the smell of cauliflower.

i know, he's smooth.

This recipe basically takes a head of cauliflower and magically turns it into a pizza crust!

It's gluten free and an awesome alternative to the regular pizza crust.

I usually roast my cauliflower in the oven on a really high temperature, like 450, drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper.

It caramelizes and gets crunchy and delicious.

But when I came across this recipe, I knew I had to give it a whirl.

I have a few friends and family members that are gluten- free and I thought this would be a beautiful way for them to indulge in pizza.

So I grabbed my big head of white broccoli and got the party started.

Here is what the crust looks like before it's baked.

And look at this lusciousness AFTER!

Don't tell me you wouldn't want to eat this.

Even if you think you hate cauliflower, trust me.

You won't after eating this monstrosity.

It was crispity and crunchity and delightfully scrumptious.

Next time I will cook it for a bit longer to ensure a crunchier crust, but other than that,

it was divine.

Top it with any and all of your favorites.

Get the kids involved.

This is an excellent way to get your kids to eat their veggies.

They will never know it and you'll be a hero!

Kids and pizza go together like chocolate and peanut butter.

Match made in heaven.

Happy pizza crust makin'!

cauliflower crust pizza

Serves 2; Adapted from Your Lighter Side.

ingredients:

1 cup cooked, riced cauliflower
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 tsp garlic salt
olive oil (optional)

pizza sauce, shredded cheese and your choice of toppings*

directions:

To "Rice" the Cauliflower:
Take 1 large head of fresh cauliflower, remove stems and leaves, and chop the florets into chunks. Add to food processor and pulse until it looks like grain. Do not over-do pulse or you will puree it. (If you don't have a food processor, you can grate the whole head with a cheese grater). Place the riced cauliflower into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 8 minutes. There is no need to add water, as the natural moisture in the cauliflower is enough to cook itself.

One large head should produce approximately 3 cups of riced cauliflower. The remainder can be used to make additional pizza crusts immediately, or can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

To Make the Pizza Crust:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup cauliflower, egg and mozzarella. Add oregano, crushed garlic and garlic salt, stir. Transfer to the cookie sheet, and using your hands, pat out into a 9" round. Optional: Brush olive oil over top of mixture to help with browning.

Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven. To the crust, add sauce, toppings and cheese. Place under a broiler at high heat just until cheese is melted (approximately 3-4 minutes).

Enjoy!

*Note that toppings need to be precooked since you are only broiling for a few minutes

Go here for the full post of this recipe

Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing

I love salads but just not as much as I love, saaayyyy, a big steaming, cheesy bowl of mac and cheese.

Healthy?

Not so much.

Delicious?

You know it!

So when I come across a salad that is not only delicious, but so good for you and filling at the same time, then I'm obsessed.

My fabulous friend, C, who is also an RD and fellow lover of food, introduced me to this beautiful and bountiful salad.

It's filled with goodness and flavor and textures and colors.

It might literally be

THE.

PERFECT.

SALAD.

She discovered it in her Veggie Times magazine (she's a fellow pescatarian) and between her magazine and her profession, she's always opening me up to new and different ingredients.

I know I see kale a lot in the grocery stores and I put it in my soups a lot, but making a salad out of it was a new and novel idea for me.

Sometimes we get stuck in a rut cooking with the same vegetables and ingredients that it's hard to break out of the monotony of things.

Well, this salad definitely broke me out of my 'kale' shell and I was instantly addicted to it from the moment I put the first crisp and velvety bite in my mouth.

The dressing alone should be a post in itself.

I couldn't get enough.

There is tahini in it, which gives it this rich, velvety feel.

I love tahini and use it so much in my cooking.

Why I have never thought to put it in salad dressing before is beyond me.

But I'm so glad I know how good it is now because I will be making it lots more to come!

There are a thousand different ways you can dress up any salad, and this one is no different.

I shredded a carrot, sliced up some grape tomatoes, diced up an avocado, tossed some roasted almonds and dried cranberries in mine.

It was out of this world.

I'm not joking, I ate the ENTIRE bag of kale.

in.

one.

day.

I'm pretty sure that's not ok.

Kale overdose!

I ate like 5 bowls between lunch and dinner.

I loved every last bite.

I savored it, I devoured it, I couldn't stop until the entire salad was dunzo.

I did share a little of it, but for the most part, it all went down MY hatch.

So after all that salad eating, I felt like a walking vitamin.

Because kale, as you know, is jam packed with vitamins and health benefits.

For all the wonderful benefits of this lovely green veggie, go here.

So how could I possibly have felt bad about overdosing on kale when there are so many rewards to be had?

My body was so full of healthiness and goodness, that I had no choice but to follow it up with a delectable peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookie I made.

What?

Balance, people.

Balance.

Please try this salad.

I promise you won't be disappointed.

Go on.

Go 'kale' yourself.

ahahahaaha.

ba dum-pish.

wow.

ok.

i'm out.

SALAD:

2 12-oz bunches kale, stems removed

(I used a bag of already cut and cleaned kale from Trader Joe's)

1/2 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tblspn. tahini (sesame seed paste)... I used about double this.

2 tblspn. Bragg Liquid Aminos, optional (I didn't use this)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tspn. honey, optional (I used it)

That's all folks. Then you can add whatever you like to it. Here is what the mag recommends:

OPTIONAL ADD-INS:

1 cup chopped parsley or mint

1 cup grated carrots

1 lb. roasted red potatoes

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

1 orange, divided into segments

1/2 cup feta cheese