Sweet Potachos

I ate the whole pan. I thought I would just throw that out there at the beginning to give you a pre-cursor for how amaze these are. I'll also let you know that I thought these would be a huge fail, but they blew my expectations out of the water. Step aside tortilla chips, sweet potatoes just upped you.

Veggie chips can be a little tricky so I did my research to give you the best tips! Cutting your sweet potatoes super thin is key to get them to crisp up and hold all of your toppings. A mandoline makes it so easy, but if you don't have one just do your best to cut them as thin as possible. I'm slightly obsessed with my new mandoline (I got this one from Kuhn Rikon), and it is the main reason I came up with this dish.   I've been looking for any kind of veggie I can slice up thin. I'm weird. 

Tips:
-slice super thin
-bake on foil lined baking sheets
-coat the foil with oil, toss the sweet potatoes in oil too
-wait to salt until they are done baking
-let them finishing crisping with the oven door propped open and the oven turned off
-if some burn a little, that's even better (in my opinion)!!

Sweet Potato Nachos
serves 1-2 depending on how hungry you are

Ingredients:
1 medium sized sweet potato, thinly sliced
olive oil
sea salt
1/2 cup Mexican blend cheese
1/2 avocado, diced
1/2 cup leftover carnitas meat ;)
red onion, cilantro, plain greek yogurt, salsa

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Line 2-3 baking sheets with foil. Pour about 1-2 Tbsp. of olive oil on to each foil lined sheet. Use your hands to spread it around and cover the whole surface.

Using a mandoline or a really sharp knife, thinly slice your sweet potato. Place in a bowl and toss with another tablespoon of oil. Place each piece of sweet potato on a cookie sheet. Make sure they don't overlap or touch. Place all of the cookie sheets in the oven on separate shelves. Bake for 15 minutes, rotating which pan is on top after 8 minutes. Cook the last 7 minutes. Pull the sheets out and flip over all of your sweet potato chips. Sprinkle with a little bit of salt then place back in the oven. Turn off the oven and crack open the door. Let the chips dry out for about 20 minutes. 

Once your chips are crispy, pull them out and load onto a small baking sheet. I used my toaster oven because it is small and perfect for one batch of nachos. Layer the chips in an even layer, then sprinkle on half of the cheese. Top with the carnitas meat and then the rest of the cheese. Broil for about 5-10 minutes until your cheese is melting. Pull out and top with diced red onion, cilantro, avocado, salsa and plain greek yogurt as a sour cream replacement. 

Snap pictures of these to your friends and make them really jealous. 

My roommate took one bite, and said "ya, you need to make those a lot." I have another sweet potato in my pantry just waiting to be mandolined and made into sweet potatchos. 

Annie

Almond Butter Blossoms

I know I talk about being allergic to peanut butter a lot, but I'm clearly missing out so just let me blab. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, never had one, Reese's cup, never had one, peanut butter blossoms, never had one. Until now, kind of.

Thank you almond butter for being my vice and helping me feel like a normal kid. I've made my own almond butter and jelly sandwiches before, I've even tried to make homemade Reese's using almond butter instead of PB, and now I have made my very own Almond Butter Blossoms. 

Even if you aren't allergic to peanut butter, you must give almond butter a try. The nutritional benefits in almonds totally kicks peanuts tush. It's so versatile. It's subtle nutty flavor is just enough flavor, but also discrete when added to smoothies, oatmeal, flourless desserts etc. 

Having never had any kind of nut butter growing up, coming around to the flavor of AB took some time. Justin's Almond Butter is what finally got me hooked. Justin's has maple, honey, vanilla and classic flavored almond butters. The vanilla pretty basically tastes like frosting, but it's healthy, so there's that.

This cookie is just like it's counterpart, but subs the PB for AB! The cookie is slightly sweet and nutty with a little kiss of sweet chocolate . I had peanut butter blossom pros taste these cookies and they requested I bring them more. I'll take that as a good sign! 

Almond Butter Blossoms
yields 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
1 package of Hershey's Kisses
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup Justin's Classic Almond Butter, softened
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. milk
more sugar for rolling in

Directions:
Unwrap about 24 Kisses and set aside. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. 

Beat the shortening and almond butter in an electric mixer until combined {Justin's is a little thicker than most almond butters so nuke it in the microwave for 15 seconds first). Scrape down the sides then add in both sugars and beat for 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix to combine. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Lastly add the milk.

Using a cookie scoop, form 1-inch balls and roll in extra sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 7-8 minutes. Immediately press a Kiss into each cookie, cracks will form. The Kisses will get glossy from the heat of the cookie but they won't melt! Cool completely before serving! 
 

Annie

Crock-Pot Carnitas

This is it you guys, this is it. Officially my go to recipe for cooking for friends, party food, pot-lucks etc. Crock-pot carnitas are a zip to make, but totally bring on the wow. Not to mention they make a truck load, so it's a perfect way to feed the masses.

My mind and my stomach have been on a taco kick recently. One of my co-workers was recently sharing with me how she loves to make carnitas. She was going on about how easy, fresh and healthy they were. Okay, sold. Give me the recipe. So thank you Mel, this one is for you!

My pork butt was a little over 7 lbs. which is huge, but that was the smallest I could find! It barely fit in my crock pot. I think it made enough carnitas for the whole neighborhood. But really. Some for me, some for my roommates, some for sis and husband, and some for the freezer to pull out on a rainy day. Search your market and you can probably find a smaller butt. I was limited and hungry so just went with it. A pork shoulder is interchangeable for this recipe. You can typically find small pork shoulders in the grocery store!

That being said the measurements for this recipe are a little loosey goosey because your pork butt size may vary. Just go with it and trust your self, I promise you can't mess this up. 

Crock Pot Carnitas

Ingredients:
4-5 lb. pork butt roast or shoulder  (bone-in or boneless, either works)
cumin
chili powder
garlic powder
salt and pepper

Accompaniments: 
white corn tortillas
cilantro, chopped
avocado slices
lime wedges
chopped red onion, pickled onions, pico de gallo etc.

Directions:
Rinse and pat dry the pork butt. Put just about a 1/2 inch of water in the bottom of your crock pot. Season both sides of the pork with all of the seasonings. I did about one teaspoon per side (roughly 2 tsps. of each seasoning). Place in the crock-pot. Turn on low and let cook for 6-8 hours or until tender. My pork butt was a bone-in. The best part was getting to reach in and just slide the bone right out of the tender meat.

Using two forks shred the carnitas. Add more seasoning if needed. Warm tortillas on a griddle. Serve carnitas with some pico, cilantro, fresh avocado and a squeeze of lime! 

Perfect served as is, but I also can't wait to use the meat in taco salads or on nachos. Melanie said she uses her leftovers in quesadillas and as enchilada filling! I'm also thinking it wouldn't be half bad mixed with a little BBQ sauce for a take on pulled pork. 

I'm not sure what it is about this recipe, but when I was snapchatting while I was cooking, you guys were going crazy. Which I love. And these  carnitas deserve that kind of love because they are that good. So here you go my friends, crock-pot carnitas for your stomachs to enjoy! 

Annie

Grown Up Cereal and Milk

Kudos to mother for giving me this breakfast idea. With an easy combo of almond milk, your favorite granola and frozen fruit, It's the grown up version of cereal and milk. Cooking for one, frozen fruit and vegetables have become my best friends. I always have frozen fruit in the fridge for smoothies, but this is such a good change of pace. 

My favorite part of this breakfast is how the almond milk slightly freezes around the cold berries. I can't quit describe it but it's kind of incredible. If you want to pump it up a bit add a super boost with flax or chia seeds or almond butter. This breakfast is too easy to throw together. I even take it on the go by putting all ingredients in a mason jar and eating it in the car or when I first step into work. 

Grown Up Cereal and Milk

Ingredients:
1/2 cup frozen fruit (blueberries and raspberries)
1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 cup granola of your choice
*Optional add ins can be almond butter, flax seeds, chia seeds, cinnamon

Directions:
I think you can guess, but put all ingredients in a bowl and slurp up every last bit. 

Annie

Thai Cashew Lettuce Wraps

Oh my gosh I could blab forever about these lettuce wraps. They are sitch to make and cook up in about 15 minutes. Weeknight meal perfection. 

When I was younger my family used to have this obsession with P.F. Changs. Sweet Oklahoma City used to be deprived of most chain restaurants, so any trip we went on we would seek out the nearest P.F. Changs to get our fix. When I was in middle school one finally came to town, and my oldest sister even got a job there. The amount of lettuce wraps and great walls of chocolate I ate during her stint of hostessing is too many to mention. Nothing against Changs, but our palates have a matured a bit. 

These lettuce wraps bring back a taste of nostalgia, although they are quite different. They have more of a Thai flavor than Chinese, use soft butter lettuce instead of iceberg, and I use ground turkey instead of chicken. They are sure to please, so enjoy with a crowd of dinner guests! If your stingy, they save up well in the fridge too, so you can eat them over a couple days. 

Thai Cashew Lettuce Wraps adapted from Rasa Malaysia
serves 3

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. oil
1/4 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 lb. ground turkey or chicken
1/2 cup whole roasted cashews
1 Tbsp. soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro leaves
1 head butter lettuce

Sauce:
3 Tbsp. Thai chili sauce
2 tsp. lime juice (1 lime)
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro leaves
Pinch of white sesame seeds

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and set aside. Wash the butter lettuce then peel each leaf off the stem and set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. When the oil is heated, add the onion, garlic, and cook until they are slightly browned. Add the ground turkey, and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula to break up the lumps. Add the cashews and soy sauce. Continue to cook the filling until the sauce starts to dry a bit but is still moist. Turn off the heat and add the chopped cilantro.

To assemble the lettuce wraps, take one piece of butter lettuce, spoon in a small amount of filling, top with the sauce and a sprinkle of sesame seeds!

Annie