Rosemary Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Sometimes, the best-laid plans just don't work out quite as well as you had hoped. Take today's recipe, for example. The original recipe featured flavorful chicken cooked in the slow cooker on a bed of onions and Yukon Gold potatoes. Sounds delicious, no? I figured I would eat the chicken and the vegetarian and I would split the onions and potatoes.

Fast forward several months, however, and I'm now avoiding white potatoes. But no problem; I can still have sweet potatoes. That won't change things too much; the vegetarian and I love sweet potatoes! So I loaded up the slow cooker and set it to cook for 6 hours.

Then life got in the way and I decided to give everything another two hours. But we still weren't ready to eat (we were rehearsing at home that day) so the slow cooker flipped over into its "warm" mode. Several hours later, I finally dished everything up, along with some Rice Salad with Cucumber and Dill Dressing, and, starving, we sat down to eat.

So how was it? Truth be told, it wasn't very good. The chicken was certainly tender but everything was SO greasy! And the sweet potatoes and onions had melted together (along with the chicken juice, which normally doesn't bother the vegetarian but this time, well, it just wasn't very good) into a sweet and gooey mess. Yuck!

So what did we do? I salvaged what I could. The chicken (drained and stored without its greasy liquid) ended up making many meals for the next week. Reheated (or cut up cold to form salads), it provided a delightful protein addition. And the vegetables? I kept planning to make them into a soup of some sort but, truthfully, I never had the heart to so I eventually threw them out.

Now, you may be wondering why I'm even including this recipe? Well, first of all, the flavors were really very good! I would definitely try this again, but with a few adjustments:

• 6 hours of cooking time on low and no "warming time"
• Defatting the chicken before placing it in the slow cooker
• Leaving the sweet potatoes whole (or, if you eat them, using Yukon Golds)

What else would you do differently? Do you ever have a great recipe idea, only to have it not come out exactly (or at all) as planned? Let us know in the comments!

Rosemary Chicken with Sweet Potatoes
adapted from Recipe.com

• 12 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound sweet potatoes, cut in half (2-3 sweet potatoes)
• 1 red onion, cut into thin wedges
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup pomegranate juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons potato starch
• 1 tablespoon rosemary, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon juniper berries
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

Rinse chicken, defat as best you can, and pat dry. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add chicken (you may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your skillet) and brown, 1-2 minutes per side.

Place sweet potatoes, onion and garlic in the bottom of your slow cooker. Top with chicken. In a small bowl, whisk together pomegranate juice, lemon juice potato starch, rosemary, juniper berries and black pepper. When well combined, pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Enjoy!

Links;

• Rosemary Chicken and Sweet Potatoes from Food.com
• Rosemary Chicken & Sweet Potatoes from Healthy Choice
• Chicken and Sweet Potatoes with Shallots from Real Simple
• Sweet Potato Chicken Rosemary Recipes from Yummly
• Rosemary-Roasted Chicken Legs with Sweet Potatoes from BrokeAss Gourmet

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Braised Pinto Beans & Shiitake Mushrooms

Back before Hurricane Sandy, I went to Tokyo for a week for work. Luckily, I was able to to have most afternoons (and several evenings) to myself when I could explore that exotic city -- definitely the most foreign place I've ever been to. Never having been somewhere where I couldn't at least read the street signs, it was a totally new experience for me and one I hope to be able to share with the vegetarian at some point in the future!

Of the culinary delights, I of course indulged in fantastic sashimi (it's so hard to eat it back in the States

now!), udon and lots of tea. Not being able to speak the language, I mostly ordered by pointing at various items on a menu so half the time I didn't really know what I was eating: not something that bothered me in the slightest!

My favorite afternoon in the city was spent in the company of Mom's best friend from high school, who happens to live in Tokyo. She took me around kappabashi, "kitchen town", where we wandered in and out of various kitchenware, restaurant depot and dried goods stores. Of the delicacies I brought home, the largest was a package of dried shiitake mushrooms. I could smell them even through the plastic and they sat on our hutch waiting to be used.

The opportunity presented itself last week as I scanned my brain for what to braise my newest batch of beans with. Mushrooms! I exclaimed. I soaked the shiitakes all day and then when it was time to make dinner, I was also rewarded with the soaking liquid which turns into a fantastic stock (I've since used it several times). Serve these over linguine. Leftovers? We had them over spaetzle one day and as part of a mixed green salad the next. I recommend a rioja alongside. Bon appetit!

Braised Pinto Beans & Mushrooms

• 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil with chili (you can substitute olive oil)
• 1 tablespoon butter, unsalted
• 10 yellow onions, finely diced
• 12 cloves garlic, crushed
• 6 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 cup chicken broth (can substitute vegetable broth)
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons oregano, chopped

Soak mushrooms in a bowl of clean cold water for at least 1 hour, ideally 8 or overnight. Drain and slice thinly. Save soaking liquid and use as mushroom broth.

Heat oil and butter together in a pan over medium heat until butter is melted. Add onions, garlic and mushrooms and saute 8 minutes, until onions are soft. Reduce heat to medium-low and add tomato sauce, paprika, beans, salt, pepper, broth and fennel seeds. Cook another 15 minutes, until beans are warm and soft has thickened slightly. Garnish with oregano and serve warm.

Links:

• Braised Beef & Mushrooms from Eating Well
• Black Beans with Mushrooms from VegWeb.com
• Onion Rings & Green Bean Casserole from Jules Speaks Gluten Free Blog
• Grilled Portobello Mushroom Tacos with Mango Black Bean Salsa from Tasty Yummies
• Mushroom Burger from Vegetarian Food
• Slow-Cooker Black Bean-Mushroom Chili from Eating Well

Roasted Allspice Potatoes

Happy almost-Thanksgiving! I'm sure you're all thinking about sweet potatoes. But what about the humble regular potato? I may be alone in this, but I actually prefer white potatoes to sweet. And since switching to a (modified) version of the body ecology diet, I'm happy to get my starches (and carbs) wherever I can. Not to mention that potatoes are very high on the list of the vegetarian's favorite foods.

All that said, I've been debating whether or not to even post this recipe. There are very few ingredients and it's terribly easy. Because I've declared November to be allspice month, that was my main flavor, and I adapted a recipe from The (modern) Busy Girls' Cookbook. But there are endless variations -- just toss the potatoes with whatever spices and flavorings you want, then roast them. It's so hard to go wrong with roast potatoes.

But that's exactly why I want you to have this recipe: partly to show you that we don't eat like kings every night and to remind us all that sometimes the simplest foods are the best. This would be a perfect vegetarian side dish for your Thanksgiving feast. How do you season your roast potatoes?

Roasted Allspice Potatoes
(adapted from The (modern) Busy Birls' Cookbook)

• 30 red-skinned potatoes, cleaned
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Cut potatoes into quarters. In a bowl, combine potatoes, olive oil, allspice, caraway seeds and salt. Toss well until potatoes are completely covered in spice mixture. Spread out in 1 layer on aluminum foil-lined sheet pan. Roast 45 minutes. Remove pan from oven and shake well. (You can also flip potatoes with a spatula but I find this is easier.) Return to oven and cook an additional 15 minutes until browned and crispy.

Remove from oven, toss with parsley and serve hot. Enjoy!

Links:

• Roasted Allspice Potatoes from The (modern) Busy Girls' Cookbook
• Garlic Roasted Potatoes from Food Network
• Gluten Free Oven Roasted Potatoes from All Gluten Free Recipes
• Roasted Potato Salad with Avocado Dressing from Diet, Dessert and Dogs
• Roasted Rosemary Potatoes from Vegetarian Food
• Robyn's Crock Pot Herb Roasted Potatoes from Food.com

Chunky Banana Bran Muffins

Without a doubt, February has been the banana month. I think it's something about the weather (not that it's been particularly wintry this month but bear with me): when it's cold, I crave sweets. Not sugar so much but definitely fruits. And heavier foods. And spices (especially cinnamon). All of these lead me to baking, hence the influx of muffins.

So when the end of the month rolled around and it was time for our Monthly Cooking Adventure, I knew I wanted to make something with bananas. I was inspired by a recipe from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa at Home. I wanted to make the flavor more complex, however, so I added a sour undertone with creme fraiche and lemongrass. Not wanting the sour to be overpowering, in went some sweet cinnamon and nutmeg. That led us to "theme" the evening "Breakfast for dinner" so some Beet Pancakes with Pomegranate Syrup came along for the ride. To round it all out, we drank the vegetarian's Pomegranate Mimosas. Bon appetit!

Chunky Banana Bran Muffins
inspired by Barefoot Contessa at Home

• 2 cups wheat bran
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons creme fraiche
• 3 medium eggs
• 2/3 cup blackstrap molasses
• zest from 1/2 orange
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemongrass, minced very finely
• 1/2 teaspoon safflower oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground
• 2 cups raisins
• 2 bananas, diced
• 2 cups walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If desired, fill muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together wheat bran and buttermilk. Set aside. In a food processor, cream together butter and sugar for 5 minutes.

Add creme fraiche, eggs, molasses, orange zest, vanilla extract, lemongrass and safflower oil, pulsing 1-4 times and then scraping down the sides after each addition. Add the bran-buttermilk mixture and pulse another 4 times. In a clean large bowl, stir together cinnamon, flour, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg. Add to food processor in three stages, pulsing 5 times and scraping down the sides after each addition. Don't overmix! Fold in raisins, bananas and walnuts. Fill muffin pans full with batter and bake 25 minutes. Makes 24 muffins.

Links to other banana cinnamon delicacies:

• Banana Muffins with Cinnamon Sugar Streusel from OliePants
• Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread from Big Mama's Home Kitchen
• Banana Vanilla Cinnamon French Toast from Mama to 4 Blessings
• Cinnamon Banana Bread from Man and Van Moving Blog
• Banana, Blueberry, Cinnamon and Strawberry Yogurt Muffins from Bakersbeans

Blueberry Oat Muffins

I have a confession to make: I'm on a muffin binge lately. And, since I don't know how to make muffins without bananas in them (they bind the muffins and add natural sweetness -- what's not to like?) I guess I'm on a banana binge too. See, it's a vicious cycle, really -- I buy bananas, then have some left over, so I make muffins but I don't have enough so I buy more bananas and, since I always buy them in bunches, a few days later, I have more brown bananas so I make more muffins ... you get the picture. And, while I could buy single bananas or just eat them raw before they turn brown, that really doesn't interest me as much as making all kinds of muffins.

I must admit, though, that, so far, these are my favorite. I used only one banana so you can't taste it at all. I also used sweet potato puree and that, mixed with various warm and wintry spices (cinnamon, allspice and brown sugar to name a few) and just a bit of butter makes these deliciously reminiscent of sweet potato pie. But with blueberries as well. Really, what's not to like? Enjoy these with some sparkling wine and ginger almonds. Bon appetit!

Blueberry Oat Muffins
inspired by Snack Girl

• 1 banana, mashed
• 1 15-ounce can, sweet potato puree
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (I recommend Grade B)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 cups oat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger, ground
• 1 cup frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, mix together mashed banana, sweet potato, maple syrup, vanilla extract and melted butter. In a medium-sized bowl, combine oat flour, allspice, baking soda, baking powder, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Add mixture in two stages to the larger bowl, stirring until just-combined (you don't want to overwork the batter; just stir until there are no streaks of flour). Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin pan (use removable liners for easy clean-up) 3/4 way with batter. Bake 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Enjoy warm or at room temperature. Makes 12 muffins.

Links to other banana cinnamon delicacies:

• Cinnamon Banana Bread from One Touch Weather
• Cinnamon Pancakes with Nutella, Banana & Pecans from Channel Ten
• Banana Donuts with Cinnamon and Sugar Coating from Whatcha Makin' Now?
• Warm Banana and Maple Syrup Pancakes with Cinnamon Cream from Fabulicious Food
• Banana Cinnamon Bread from Madison Makes