Sweet potatoes... not just for holidays!

I made a recipe from the Sonoma Diet Cookbook that was fabulous. They've titled it "Sweet Potato and Cranberry Bake" and it takes sweet potatoes to a new level. It pairs sweet potatoes with some unconventional ingredients like dijon mustard and olive oil. I prepared it with what I had in the cupboard, so I tweaked the recipe and it was delightful... Here is my version:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
   
2. Mix the following: 3 tablespoons Gulden's dijon mustard, 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons honey, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 tsp salt, fresh ground pepper to taste (I was liberal with it).
   
3. Toss with 2 1/2 pounds skinned sweet potatoes that have been cut into 2 inch cubes.
   
4. Mix in 1 cup Craisins.
5. Bake covered for an hour and a half.

Although the mustard seems unusual, and sweet pototoes are thought to be best friends with butter, this version is a delight to your tastebuds.

Grey Dog Coffee. they have the best sandwich ever!

I went to Grey Dog Coffee with some old friends today. It is located in the West Village (NYC), and they have an extensive coffee menu, as well as food menu. I'd eyed the menu online before we went, and found a sandwich I knew I had to try. The #7 is a sandwich made on your choice of bread (I chose olive bread), with thinly sliced granny smith apples, brie, and raspberry mustard. You can also include turkey on it, but I told them I didn't want the turkey.... This sandwich was UNBELIEVABLE. I had plenty of leftovers, and gladly took it back to the hotel. My husband, who lacks a 'foodie' gene and prefers meat and potatoes also agreed on the superiority of this sandwich. The bread was thick with a hint of olive in the flour. The crisp apples added sweetness, brie added smoothness, and paired with the raspberry mustard, wow... That mustard had Dijon in it, so it had a bit of heat, that was easily tempered by the sweetness of the berries. What a combination. I'll be making these sandwiches at home...

Trying something new...

I am a foodie that has been earnestly brushing up on her cooking creativity. I love delicious foods and textures and have been trying to learn new things in the kitchen. Some things though, SCARE me, and I have decided to get out of my comfort zone and tackle those things that make me uncomfortable.

The first thing, is the avocado. Now, I am quite the lover of a good avocado and I have even made a decent guacamole in my day. But, I have been loathe to branch out with this delicious fruit and add it into my daily cooking. I eat it "out" all of the time, and the softness and depth of flavor is what makes my mouth sing. It definetely adds oomph to recipes and I am determined to add that same oomph to MY recipes. So, last night, while at Meijer, I purchased 3 avocados. I will be using them all over the next few days, and NONE of them will be used in a guacamole dip.

To familiarize myself with the fruit, tonight I am making nachos with fresh sliced avocado. I think tomorrow I'll make some eggs with it... slowly but surely, nothing is going to scare me in the kitchen!