foodie: herb-butter pasta

with spring officially here, i love to enjoy simple dishes that highlight the flavors of the season. herb-butter pasta is a meal i remember having often during my childhood - it’s delicious, easy to make, and very satisfying as a side or main course.

credit {here}

you'll need...

• 1 lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta, cooked
• 1/2 cup chopped herbs (thyme, basil, parsley, rosemary, etc.)
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 vegetable bouillon

1. cook pasta according to directions on box.

2. while pasta is cooking, melt butter in a small pot over medium heat and mix in vegetable bouillon until well combined.

3. drain pasta and return to pot. pour butter mixture over top and toss. add chopped herbs and toss again.

4. plate to serving dish and garnish with a sprig of herbs.

though this dish is perfect just as it is, feel free to add other "tastes" of spring - roasted asparagus, new potatoes, or caramelized spring onions.  or to brighten the flavors, add some fresh squeezed lemon and grated parmesan. 

bon appetit!

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foodie: pan-fried sweet potato dumplings

i love sweet potatoes.  they are probably one of my favorite veggies right now.  i usually just roasted them in the oven whole, but i wanted to do something a little different, so i came up with savory sweet potato dumplings.  and they were yummy!

you'll need...

2 medium sweet potatoes, roasted (i usually pierce the skin and then roast them at 400 for 1 hr until they're super tender)
1 egg
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp curry
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
salt to taste
1 tbsp veggie or canola oil

makes approximately 12 dumplings

1. once sweet potatoes are tender, scoop out flesh and mix with salt, spices and garlic.  then mix in flour and breadcrumbs.  add in one whisked egg.

2. heat oil in a skillet until it sizzles when you spritz it with water.  drop dumplings by rounded tablespoon-full into the hot oil and cook for 1-2 min per side until nicely browned.

when finished, the dumplings will have a thin, crispy crust and a super-moist, mashed potato interior.  yum!  enjoy them immediately, or keep them warm in a 250 degree oven until you're ready to enjoy them.

i served ours with a super simple sauce: 2 tbsp mayo, 2 tbsp chopped pecans, 1 tbsp maple syrup, dash of cinnamon and curry, squeeze of fresh lime juice.

bon appetit!

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foodie: sinfully delicious cake pops

i had a 1/2 dozen leftover brownies that were just ok, so i decided to reinvent them into something deliciously spectacular.  enter my idea to make brownie/cake pops.  if you're looking for a something divine that can be delivered to your mouth on a stick, you must make these.  they are mmm mmm good.

what you'll need (and feel free to use what you have in the pantry)

1/2 dozen brownies
1/2 cup frosting (i used whipped vanilla because that's what i had)
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
3/4 cup butterscotch morsels (obviously, you could just go with 100% chocolate if you want!)
sprinkles
straws or popsicle sticks

this recipe made 14 cake pops

1. mash brownies and then mix in frosting.  roll mixture into ping-pong sized balls.  (if the mixture is too tacky to work with, you can refrigerate it for 30 minutes to make it easier to work with.)  line a baking sheet with parchment, and place balls on the tray and then put in fridge for 30 min.

2. melt 2 tbsp of chocolate and get your straws/popsicle sticks ready.  take the balls from the fridge and dip the sticks into the chocolate and then insert into the balls.  put them in the fridge again to let the chocolate set for 20 min or so.  (the chocolate on the stick will act as "glue")

3. put your chocolate chips and butterscotch morsels into a microwave safe bowl and heat until smooth.  in the meantime, put your sprinkles in small ramekin to get ready for dipping. get your cake pops from the fridge, and dip them into the chocolate butterscotch to coat them.  then dip them into the sprinkles for extra decoration!

4. you can put your pops upright into a block of styrofoam, but i didn't have any handy.  instead i laid some on their side and put others standing-up on the parchment-lined baking sheet.  both methods worked fine.  once all your pops are coated and decorated, put them back in the fridge for 30 min - 1 hour to allow the chocolate to set.

these are best enjoyed at room temperature, so remove them from the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to enjoying them so that they aren't super hard when you bite into them!

be warned: they are dangerously good!!!!!!!!

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need a dinner idea? how about creamy butternut squash soup?!

this soup is truly divine.  it's rich, and creamy, and surprisingly healthy, too!  if you love a good butternut squash soup, this recipe can't be beat.  and, it's the perfect winter meal for a cozy evening by the fire. 

picture credit {here}

1 butternut squash (2 lbs), seeded and chopped into 1 inch cubes
1 vidalia onion, peeled and quartered
2 carrots, quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for brushing
1 whole garlic bulb
3 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 cup cream sherry
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano (or 1/2 teaspoon dry)
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup milk or half & half
salt to taste

View full recipe

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. line a baking sheet with foil. place vegetables on baking sheet and brush with oil. trim off top of garlic bulb, brush lightly with olive oil, wrap with foil and place on baking sheet with vegetables.

2. roast vegetables in the center of the oven for about 40 minutes or until they are very tender. set aside to cool.

3. after they've cooled - squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins; scrape the flesh from the squash and remove outer layer of onion. add half of the garlic, squash, onion, and carrots to the food processor. add 1 cup of the vegetable stock and purée until smooth; repeat two more times until all veggies and stock are combined.

enjoy it with some warm, fresh baked bread, and you're all set!

bon appetit!

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