Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Cilantro Sauce

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables, and sweet potato fries are one of my favorite foods. But who wants to deal with all of that deep frying? What if you could harness the deliciousness and nutritiousness of the sweet potato in a healthier, BAKED sweet potato fry?!?! Well my friends, no more "what ifs." The baked sweet potato fry is here to stay.

Greek Layer Dip

I've been seeing different versions of this dip flitting around the internet since the Super Bowl, and when I was trying to decide which dip to serve with some freshly made pita chips we got at the farmer's market, I decided that a "Greek" layer dip would be perfect.

Passion Fruit Mojitos

Passion fruit is in season right now, and I have been LOVING these passion fruit mojitos. I mentioned them in a post last week, and I ended up making them again this morning (...without the rum!).

These virgin passion fruit mojitos are tart, sweet, and fizzy — the perfect drink for a hot day like today

Crostini with Goat Cheese and Peach-Jalapeno Jam

Last night we had some friends over, which means I got to do one of my favorite things...make snacks! I had four peaches sitting in the fridge, and I knew that a slightly spicy, sweet peach jam would be the perfect complement to some tangy chèvre.

I was right, and everyone loved the crostini. I served it along with some roasted potato bites with a homemade lemon curry mayo. That was amazing too, but I forgot to take a picture! We also had a selection of beverages, including cider, beer, and wine.

From top to bottom: Cabernet Sauvignon, Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA, Lagunitas IPA, Samuel Smith's Organic Hard Cider.

Other than the homemade mayo, the crostini was definitely the big hit of the night. This recipe was super easy to put together and was just delicious! The only thing to watch out for is the boiling jam, because it splatters like crazy and sticks to your skin like magma. I have the red burn on my wrist to prove it.

Crostini with Goat Cheese and Peach-Jalapeno Jam

4 peaches, peeled and cut into chunks, then pureed in blender until mostly smooth
2 Jalapenos, seeded and diced small
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or to taste
Juice of 1 lime
1 scant cup of sugar

1 loaf crusty bread (baguette or ciabatta)

1 4oz log chèvre

Add all of the ingredients (except the bread and cheese!) to a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, stirring to combine. I recommend tasting the jalapenos to see how spicy they are. The ones I got were not spicy at all, so I added some cayenne pepper. The jalapenos did lend a nice peppery flavor to the jam, nonetheless.

Cook the jam over medium heat, and bring it to a boil. Cook it until the foam on top subsides and the jam is thick enough to stick to the back of a spoon. You can let it get as thick as you like, I would have liked to cook my for a little longer but I only had an hour and a half after I got home to clean the apartment and get all the snacks together!

Once the jam is thickened to your liking, chill it in the refrigerator.

Slice the bread about 1" thick. Brush with olive oil and toast or broil until golden and crispy on top. Spread with goat cheese while still warm, then top with peach-jalapeno jam, and garnish with some ribbons of basil.

The best part is that this morning, I made goat cheese and peach jam stuffed french toast for breakfast out of the leftovers!

Fruity White Wine Sangria

It's stone fruit season, and peaches, nectarines, and plums are at their peak, along with edible novelties like pluots, apriums, and peacotums (peach/apricot/plum crossbreed!). Last week I brought home 5 lbs of the various fruits (I got overexcited at the farmer's market), and though we almost finished them, come Friday we had a few leftovers (and really couldn't bring ourselves to eat them plain anymore).

So, armed with a chilled bottle of Pino Grigio and my trusty chef's knife, I set out to make some Sangria.

Fruity White Wine Sangria

Thanks to my neighbor for this amazing jar!

1.5 mL bottle of inexpensive Pino Grigio, Chardonnay, or Sauvignon Blanc

1/4 c brandy

1/4 c triple sec

4 various stone fruits, pitted and sliced

1 green apple, cored and sliced

1 lemon, sliced and seeded

1 lime, sliced and seeded

sugar, to taste (I used about 3 Tbsp)

Club soda

Add sliced fruit, sugar, brandy, triple sec and wine to a large jar or pitcher. Stir to combine. Put in refrigerator and chill for 2-3 hours. 

To serve, put some of the fruit in a wine glass. Fill with the sangria, and top with club soda.

You can also leave out the brandy and triple sec for something a little less potent; adjust the amount of sugar accordingly. Alternatively, add more club soda to your glass to dilute the drink.

Refreshing, citrusy, and effervescent, this white wine sangria is the perfect refreshment for a hot summer day. 

Spicy White Bean Dip with Crusty French Bread

I had no idea what I was going to make this weekend. My mother can attest to this fact; on the phone I was complaining about how I had nothing to cook and she said I should just post whatever I make anyway. But I couldn't in good conscience just post spaghetti with diced tomatoes from a can...so I dug deeper in my cupboards to see what I could find.

I had an old can of butter beans, and plenty of flour and yeast...I could make french bread, with a white bean dip! After some internet research I found a recipe that didn't call for lemon juice (I am out of lemons probably for the first time since I moved to California!), and that also incorporated one of my favorite condiments, Sriracha sauce.

You can see the tasty results below!

Spicy White Bean Dip with Crusty French Bread

For the dip:

1 15 oz can White Beans

1 Clove Garlic, chopped

1 T Olive Oil

1 T Sriracha or other Asian chile sauce

1 tsp Soy Sauce

2 tsp Sesame Oil

1/4 C Water

Juice of 1 lime

Drain the beans and rinse. If using a large bean (like butter beans), remove the thin skins from the beans. 

Add all of the ingredients to a blender or food processor, adding the beans last. Blend until smooth. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, Sriracha, and sliced green onions.

For the bread:

2 3/4 C flour

1 packet active dry yeast 

1 C warm water (110­° F)

1 T olive oil or melted butter

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 egg white, lightly beaten

Add water to a large bowl. Add yeast and sugar. Cover bowl and set on counter in a draft-free area, to let yeast proof. 

After about 10 minutes, when yeast is foamy, add the other ingredients except for the egg white. Mix until dough comes together (it will be very sticky!) Flour a flat dry surface, and turn dough out. Knead 8-10 minutes or until elastic and smooth, using additional flour as necessary to prevent sticking. 

Spray a clean bowl with cooking spray; add dough ball and roll so dough is coated. Cover bowl and place in a draft-free area to rise until doubled, about 1 hr.

(These initial steps can be done in a bread machine as well. Proof the yeast in the bread pan in the machine, add the other ingredients, then select the dough cycle. When dough cycle finishes, remove dough from pan and continue with the steps below).

Punch dough down. Roll out into a rectangle, then roll up the dough into a log. Sprinkle corn meal on a baking sheet; place dough log on sheet, seam side down. Cover and let rise 30-40 minutes.

Bake in a 375° F over for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with lightly beaten egg. Return to oven and cook 15-20 minutes. The bread will be golden brown, and when you rap on the crust it should sound hollow. Let sit 15 minutes before cooking.

Slice 1-inch thick, brush with olive oil, and broil until golden brown. Serve with Spicy White Bean Dip.