Fall Black Rice Salad

Less than 2 weeks until Thanksgiving — though it feels like March was yesterday. In the spirit of the season, I thought I’d use this post to remind myself (and hopefully others!) of the positives. This week I’m thankful for:

• How so many people showed up and voted for change and inclusivity in the US this month

• Snow, which has helped combat Colorado’s wildfires, and reminded me that fall is really here, even though this year has gone by in the blur

• Fall cooking and baking. Favorites this week, were: this wild rice salad, tahini rice crispy recipe from Bon Appetit, quiche, Massaman coconut curry with tofu, sourdough focaccia, and miso braised greens. Next week I’d like to make cranberry hand pies and a pear coffee cake!

• The upcoming holiday break — while it certainly won’t be a “normal” Thanksgiving, it will be nice to have a break and unplug

Fall Black Rice Salad

Published October 6, 2020 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 6   |    Active Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil

1 small sweet onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup black wild rice, such as Forbidden Rice or TJ's Cultivated Wild Rice (Wild rice blends will also work well)

2 cups chicken broth, or more as indicated on package (If using an Instant Pot to cook the rice, reduce to 1-1/4 cup broth)

3 slices bacon, cooked

1 apple, such as Sweet Tango or Honeycrisp

1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans

2 cups baby arugula

Salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oil in the bottom of a sauce pan (or Instant Pot on Sauté setting). Sauté onions and garlic until transparent.
2. Add rice to pot, along with broth. Cover, and cook according to instructions on the rice packet. (If using an Instant Pot, set to Multigrain setting for 14 minutes with the vent in the sealed position. Natural release for 10 minutes.)
3. Chop the bacon into 1/2-inch pieces. Core the apple, and dice. When the rice has cooled, add bacon, apple, pecans and arugula. Toss, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cheesy Bacon Sweet Potato Skins

These sweet potato skins, stuffed with creamy sweet potato mash and cheese and bacon, were originally created as a hooray-it's-Friday, game-day, movie-watching snack, but I'll let you in on a secret: the leftovers make a damn delicious breakfast when reheated. Whether you’re enjoying them in the morning or afternoon, it start the same way. Sweet potatoes (bake 'em up!). The soft, sweet flesh gets mashed with sour cream, which makes them ultra-creamy and flavorful.

Toppings is where these sweet potato skins get their name -- and where it gets really delicious. First -- shredded Monterey Jack. Then, bacon pieces. I used Tender Belly Habanero Bacon which was SO good because it's just the right balance of sweet and spicy, but your favorite bacon will be perfect, no matter what it is. The potatoes go in the oven like that, just until the cheesy is extra gooey, and then get topped with fresh green onions (need a little bit of green in all of that orange! 😉), a dollop of fresh sour cream, a few slices of jalapeño (for extra zip!), and a dash of smoked paprika (which also adds nice color and flavor).

All that's left to do is eat! 

Cheesy Bacon Sweet Potato Skins

Published January 22, 2019 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 12   |    Active Time: 1 hour

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Ingredients:

6 sweet potatoes

1/3 cup sour cream, plus more for topping

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1-1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

4 strips bacon, cooked and chopped into small pieces

1/4 cup sliced green onions

Several dashes of paprika, for garnish

Optional: 1 jalapeño, sliced for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Prick each sweet potato with a fork, and bake for 45-50 minutes, until sweet potatoes are soft all the way through. Allow sweet potatoes to cook 10-15 minutes, or until they are cool enough for you to handle.
2. Slice each sweet potato in half. Use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of each potato half and into a bowl without breaking the skin of the potato (tip: leave about 1/4 inch of flesh attached to the skin, it helps keep everything together!).
3. Mash sweet potato flesh with 1/3 cup sour cream, salt, and pepper until everything is incorporated (a few lumps are OK).
4. Scoop mashed sweet potato into potato skins. Top with cheese and bacon bits. Place back in oven for 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted and just starting to bubble. Remove from oven, and top with green onions, a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of paprika, and if using, a slice or two of fresh jalapeño.
5. Serve hot.

Reheating leftovers: Leftovers can be reheated in a microwave (1-2 minutes, depending on microwave), toaster oven or oven (350° for 10-15 minutes, until warmed through)

Crustless Quiche Lorraine

Quiche Lorraine is the queen of quiches, in my eyes. Other quiches might be delicious (they definitely are) but none of them boast the richness in history or flavor that a Quiche Lorraine does.

You know those bite sized quiche Costco sells in the freezer aisle? They come in three flavors, one of them Lorraine. My mom would keep them in the freezer--they made a perfect after school snack, or appetizer for guests (tea parties? yes).

But after you make Quiche Lorraine from scratch, you'll learn that even though they are delicious, those mini quiche bites aren't even worth a second thought. You'll never go back. Homemade, Quiche Lorraine carries the flavor of bacon and the creaminess of gruyere in every bite. Basically, it's amazing, and you'll want to make it right away. 

This version is crustless, which makes it a little bit lighter and of course, grain-free and gluten-free. It puffs up delicately, creating a crispy top and a custard base. It is good cold, but I prefer it warm.

This recipe makes enough to feed a household of two for a few days (depending on how hungry everyone is... or how much they like the combination of bacon and gruyere, which let's be real, is a lot), or a small crowd for a single brunch, along with a few other sides. For a big crowd, I'd make two: there's never too much quiche, and leftover quiche is just as good as fresh-from-the-oven quiche. Tummy rumbling? Mine to. Quiche, get in my belly.

Crustless Quiche Lorraine

Published November 2, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 3-4   |    Total Time: 45 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1/4 pound bacon
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to your tastes)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 
• Sprinkle ground nutmeg 
• 1/2 cup grated gruyere or white cheddar 
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced chives 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F, and generously grease a 9-inch pie pan.
2. Cook bacon according to directions on package, until crisp. Set on plate to cool.
3. Whisk together the milk, eggs, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg until frothy. Break cooled bacon into 1/2-inch or smaller pieces, and add to egg mixture. Add the cheese, and stir until bacon pieces and cheese are incorporated.
4. Pour egg mixture into pie pan and sprinkle with minced chives. Place in center of oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until quiche is puffy and no raw egg remains (test this by inserting a toothpick into the middle. It should come out clean). Remove quiche from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.