Mexican Sloppy Joe Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes

8 sweet potatoes

3-4 Tbs olive oil

salt and pepper

Lime Crema

8 oz. sour cream (or Greek yogurt)

1 lime, zested and juiced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp kosher salt

pinch of pepper

1/4 tsp chilli paste

1-2 tsp water, if needed

Taco Beef Filling

1 Tbs olive oil

1 onion, diced finely

1 small jalapeño (or half), diced finely

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 lbs ground beef

2/3 c ketchup

1.5 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

1.5 Tbs dark brown sugar

1.5 tsp dry mustard

1/4 c taco seasonings

1/2 c water

freshly chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with tin foil.  Wash sweet potatoes and make 4 slits on two sides of each potato.  Rub the potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place on baking sheet and bake for 45-50 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

In a medium bowl, mix together the sour cream, lime zest and juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and chili paste until well blended.  Add the water one teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency has been reached so that the sauce can be drizzled over the potatoes.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat with olive oil.  Sauté the onion, garlic, and jalapeño for about 3-4 minutes, until soft and translucent.  Add the ground beef and cook for 5-7 minutes until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks.  Drain any liquid.

Add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, mustard, taco seasonings, and water and mix well.  Cover and reduce heat to medium low.  Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  

Cut each sweet potato open and chop into smaller pieces, top with beef and then lime crema, and sprinkle with freshly chopped cilantro.

Modified slightly from easyrecipesfromhome

Perfect French Bread Pizza

2 loaves Italian or French bread 

1/4 c olive oil

2 tsp Italian seasonings

1/2 tsp kosher salt

24-32 oz. mozzarella cheese

3 c pasta sauce

1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

sprinkling of parsley

Preheat oven to 400℉.  Slice bread lengthwise and then cut each half into about 3 pieces or so.  If the bread is thicker than about an inch, press down on each piece until it's closer to that thickness.

Place the bread on a large baking sheet (covered in aluminum foil!).  Combine the olive oil, Italian seasonings, and salt in a small bowl and brush the sliced portion of each piece of bread with the olive oil mixture.

Top the bread with half the cheese and place in the oven, cook 8-10 minutes until the cheese melts.

While the cheese is melting, warm the sauce in the microwave or on the stovetop.  Remove bread from the oven and spread the sauce evenly over the bread.  Top with the remaining cheese and return to the oven until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 5-6 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley.

From Chocolate with Grace

Cucumber Avocado Salad

3/4-1 lb seedless cucumber, washed and cut into chunks

2 thin or 1 regular scallion(s), thinly sliced

1 large avocado, pitted and diced

2 Tbs mayonnaise

1 Tbs lime juice

Salt and hot sauce (sriracha works great!) to taste

Chopped cilantro

Combine cucumber, scallions, and avocado in a bowl.  Whisk together sauce (mayo, lime juice, hot sauce, salt), drizzle over vegetables and stir to combine.  Sprinkle with cilantro.  Enjoy immediately!

From Smitten Kitchen

Lentil Tacos

1.5 c dried brown or green lentils, rinsed and drained

3.5 c chicken or vegetable broth

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp smoked or sweet paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1 c red or green salsa (preferably thick and chunky vs. thin and watery)

12-15 taco shells

Taco toppings of choice: lettuce, chopped tomato, grated cheese, sour cream, cilantro, etc.

In a 6-quart electric pressure cooker, combine the lentils, broth, and seasonings.  Secure the lid and valve and cook on high for 12 minutes.  Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before releasing remaining pressure.  

Drain off any excess liquid, if desired.  Stir in salsa and season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed (this is important for flavor!).  Can mash lentils lightly, if desired.  The lentil mixture will thicken a bit if left to sit/keep warm in the pressure cooker.

Serve the warm lentils in taco shells with toppings.

From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

1 c butter, softened

3/4 c white sugar

3/4 c packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 c smooth peanut butter

1/3 c cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 1/3 c flour

1 c semisweet chocolate chips

1 c peanut butter chips

10 regular size peanut butter cups (or 20-25 small cups), cut in pieces

1 c mini peanut butter cups

Preheat oven to 350.  In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda; set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars together with an electric mixer until fluffy.  Add vanilla, peanut butter, and eggs, mixing well.  Stir in flour mixture until just mixed.  Batter will be thick.  Fold in chips and peanut butter cups.

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop onto baking sheets lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat.  Bake for 11-13 minutes (13 minutes in my oven).  Let cool for at least 10 minutes on cooking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

From love from the oven

Marry Me Chicken

3 chicken breasts (large, boneless and skinless; if thick, slice lengthwise into 2 thinner cutlets)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1-2 Tbs olive oil

1 c chicken stock

1 tsp Italian mixed herbs (or 1/2 tsp oregano and 1/2 tsp thyme)

1/2 c sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (packed in oil)

1 c heavy cream

1/2 c Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 - 1 tsp red pepper flakes

fresh basil, chopped, for garnish

Some of sort of starch to serve over: mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles (I like pappardelle noodles for this!)

Season the chicken with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder.  Set the instant pot to Sauté and once hot, add the olive oil.  Add 3-4 pieces of chicken at a time and sear for 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side to brown slightly.  Do this in batches rather than overcrowding the pot.  Remove chicken once it is seared.

Pour in a cup of chicken stock and use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan.  Add the Italian herbs and half of the chopped sun-dried tomatoes.  Return the chicken pieces, nestling them in the stock.

Lock lid and cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes.  Let sit for 5 minutes then quick release the pressure.

Remove chicken pieces and set to Sauté.  Add the cream, Parmesan cheese, remaining sun-dried tomatoes and red pepper flakes.  Stir through until the cheese is well melted and the sauce is smooth and thick.  Turn off Sauté setting.  Return the chicken and stir through the sauce.  Serve over noodles (or mashed potatoes) with fresh basil on top.  

From Instant Pot Eats