Honey-Roasted Root Vegetables

spring has sprung...

It's officially spring again! While it might not feel like it, the days are soon to get warmer, sunnier, and longer. While spring is a time for an "out with the old, in with the new" mantra, I do want to take a moment to say I have officially been posting to my blog for 1 YEAR! It is amazing how time flies...and the number of recipes I've posted - 73 (including this one)! In that same vain, I'd like to dedicate this next rainbow series to "Old Man Winter". Think of it as paying homage (or good riddance!) to the doozy of a winter we've had this year.

I found this super simple recipe online when I was looking for a way to jazz up roasted root veggies. While I enjoy veggies roasted with just a little olive oil, salt, and pepper the addition of honey is brilliant. The honey compliments and brings out the natural sweetness of veggies like carrots, red onion, and sweet potato while balancing others like the spicy turnips, parsnips, and fennel. Honey also helps the veggies caramelize as they cook giving you the perfect char. When you need an easy and colorful side, make this dish. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 8
1 Large Sweet Potato
2 Turnips
2-3 Parsnips
2 Carrots
1 Red Onion
1 Bulb of Fennel
1/4 C Honey
2-3 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. Salt
Cooking Spray

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.

Peel and wash the sweet potato, turnips, parsnips, and carrots. Cut these veggies into approx. 1 inch pieces. Put into a large bowl. Cut the onion into 8 wedges and add to the bowl. Finally, cut the top off the fennel, remove the outer leaves, and cut out the core. Cut into approx. 1 inch pieces and add to the bowl. Pour in the honey and olive oil and add the salt. Toss to coat all of the veggies well.

On the prepared baking sheet, spread the veggies out into a single layer. Cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through. The veggies should be tender and browned. Serve these immediately! Enjoy!

Extra Dirty Vodka Martini

vodka martini, shaken, not stirred

Just like James, James Bond, I prefer my martinis shaken, not stirred. I've also confessed to you in an earlier post that my first martini was indeed a dirty martini and I fell in love with it's briny flavor. I always order this drink extra dirty, so naturally my recipe is just that. One of the other things that I love about this martini in particular are the blue cheese stuffed olives that typically accompany it. Just thinking about the combination now makes my mouth water.

Usually when I post drink recipes, I tell you that the garnishes are optional. In this case I'm telling you it's not. If I order one of these when I'm out and it's served sans blue cheese stuffed olives I'm always a little bit disappointed. So, one extra dirty martini with blue cheese stuffed olives shaken, not stirred coming right up...

Ingredients - Makes 1 Drink
3 oz. Vodka (suggest Chopin)
1 1/2 oz. Blue Cheese Olive Brine
1/2 oz. Dry Vermouth
Garnish with 2-3 Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives

Directions
In a shaker filled with ice add the vodka, olive brine, and vermouth. Shake vigorously until well chilled, then strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with 2-3 blue cheese stuffed olives. Sip to enjoy!

Buffalo Shrimp Subs w/ Blue Cheese Sauce

moderation is key...

Sometimes you just have to satisfy that craving and nothing else can substitute. In this season of Lent and giving up anything and everything that could possibly be "bad" for you, some people lose perspective. They go crazy and cold turkey on all junk foods...nothing fried, no sweets, no alcohol, etc...and I'd be surprised if they make it 4 days let alone 40. So, let's be reasonable, sometimes you have a craving and you just have to satisfy it.

One of the things I crave from time to time is buffalo wing sauce. I love that tangy, spicy, orangeish-red sauce. One of my favorite things to make when I have this craving is buffalo style shrimp. So, for this post I've taken that idea and made it a meal. The addition of a sub bun (or you could substitute a wrap), toppings, and a blue cheese sauce completes my craving for something not so good for me. I won't call this "bad", but it's definitely not healthy for me. When you got a hankerin' satisfy it! Here's how to make this dish...

Ingredients - Serves 4
1 Box Frozen Breaded Popcorn Shrimp (suggest SeaPak)
1 T Butter
1/2 - 3/4 C Buffalo Wing Sauce
4 Sub Sandwich Buns
1/2 C Plain Greek Yogurt (light okay)
2 T Milk
1/4 C Mayo
1 T White Wine Vinegar
2 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
4 oz. Blue Cheese, crumbled
Optional Sub Toppings: Chopped Celery, Thinly Sliced Red Onion, Cilantro Leaves, Lettuce, and/or pickles

Directions
Preheat the oven according to package directions. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake as directed.

As the shrimp cook, make the blue cheese sauce: Combine the yogurt, milk, mayo, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper in a bowl. Whisk until combined and then add in the crumbled blue cheese. Stir to incorporate. Cover and refrigerate.

Prepare any toppings and toast the sub buns. Once the shrimp are cooked put them in a large bowl, add the butter and buffalo wing sauce, and toss to coat. Add more wing sauce as necessary to insure all of the shrimp are well coated - saucy!

Assemble the subs: Pile in the shrimp, add any desired toppings, and finish with the blue cheese sauce. Serve immediately! We enjoyed our subs with sweet potato waffle fries. All things in moderation, right?! Enjoy!

Baby Blue Cheese Ball

be a lover, not a hater...

There are some foods that we all just can't agree on. For example, I love mushrooms, but my husband can't stand even the sight of them. Cilantro is another one. I've heard some describe the taste as lemony soap. I on the other hand find it verdant and fresh and use it often in my recipes. I also think that blue cheese is one of those foods that people either really love or really hate. I'm a lover. So, for my next 3 posts you are either going to love them or hate them.

I was inspired to create this recipe from a cheese ball that my Aunt L has made many times and brought to family events. Her cheese ball recipe requires more ingredients than mine, but it's no more complex (both are quite simple to make). I've included her recipe here as well, see below:

The next time you are looking for an easy party appetizer try either one of these recipes. I highly doubt you will love one and hate the other. Here's how to make my version...

Ingredients - Serves 8
1 (8oz.) Block Cream Cheese
1 T Worcestershire Sauce
3 Green Onions, chopped
1 C (4oz.) Blue Cheese, crumbled
1 C (4oz.) Baby Swiss, shredded
Ground Black Pepper
1/4 C Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped
Assorted Crackers to serve

Directions
Allow the cream cheese to soften to room temperature, at least 1 hour. I suggest using full fat cream cheese for any cheese ball recipe as it holds together better. If you do use light, you may have to serve this in a bowl to keep it together.

Put the softened cream cheese and Worcestershire sauce in a mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed. Then add the onions, blue, and Swiss cheeses to the bowl and stir together. Add a big pinch of pepper and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until able to form the mixture into a ball, about 2 hours.

Form the cheese ball and roll it in the chopped parley just before serving. Plate and serve with assorted crackers. I hope you love this recipe...let me know, leave a comment. Enjoy!

Thin Mint Martini

A St. Patrick's Day Toast
Here's to a long life and a merry one.
A quick death and an easy one.
A pretty girl and an honest one.
A cold beer - and another one!

As has been the theme of my last two posts, it's amazing how many ways the potato has been used by different cultures, and in this instance it's no different. Potato vodka is made primarily in Poland and Russia and as you would guess, it is made by the distillation of fermented potatoes. Most vodkas today are made by the distillation of wheat, rye, or sometimes fruits or sugar. There are few potato vodkas accessible here in the US, but one that's popular is Chopin. It's my choice vodka in any cocktail.

Vodka is a blank canvas in terms of creating a cocktails, so I thought it would be fun to make something for St. Patrick's Day and the up-coming selling season of Girl Scout Cookies. For this post I've transformed the (dare I say most) popular Thin Mint cookie into a drink. This drink could sub for your dessert certainly and it tastes just like the real thing. Make this for your St. Patty's party or to stave off that craving for a Thin Mint cookie (until they are available of course). Here's how...

Ingredients - Makes 1 Drink
1 oz. Potato Vodka (suggest Chopin)
1 oz. Godiva Chocolate Flavored Liqueur
1 oz. Creme de Menthe
1 oz. Whipping (Heavy) Cream
Optional Garnish: Whipped Cream, Mint, and/or a Thin Mint cookie

Directions
In a shaker filled with ice add the vodka, chocolate liqueur, creme de menthe, and cream. Shake vigorously until well chilled. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish as desired. Here's to the girls, cheers!