Loaded Sweet Potatoes

If you love stuffed potatoes, you will find this version for sweet potatoes absolutely divine. Sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients. They should be a part of your regular diet. Take one to work for lunch. Have a half with dinner. Divas just may eat them for breakfast.

Loaded Sweet Potatoes

2-4 sweet potatoes

olive oil

salt & pepper

a tad bit of milk

paprika

bacon bits

sour cream (I like reduced fat)

chives for garnish

Slather the potatoes in olive oil and bake at 450 degrees for 40-45 minutes until done.
Keep the oven on.
Remove potatoes from oven, cut in half lengthwise, and scoop out most of the pulp leaving the skin intact.
Mix the sweet potato with salt, pepper, milk, paprika and sour cream.
Stuff the mixture back into the potato skins.
Top with the bacon bits.
Reheat for a few more minutes.

Make it a meal: It is a stand-alone breakfast, but for dinner serve with Pan-Seared Chicken Cutlets with Wine Sauce (see recipe) and steamed broccoli.

Wine: Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc

Pan-Seared Chicken Cutlets with Wine Sauce

Here is a super easy, sexy dinner. I made this for my man one Saturday night when he never came home from his class reunion. I had planned on joining him--even bought a dress. Then the organizer called that morning to say the event is stag. No women allowed at this Catholic boys school reunion. Misogynist!

This sauce works just as well with turkey. As you can see, I added mushrooms, but you do not need to. Also, I threw in a couple pats of French Herb Butter (see recipe) that I keep around just for this type of thing.

Pan-Seared Chicken Cutlets with Wine Sauce

1 lb. chicken breast

salt & pepper to taste

olive oil for searing

2 cups white wine

2 small spoonfuls Dijon mustard

parsley to taste

Use a mallet or empty wine bottle to pound chicken into a thin cutlet.
Sauté chicken in olive oil until just cooked, about 3 minutes per side.
Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.
Pour wine into skillet and boil; if you want sliced mushrooms add them now.
Reduce heat, add mustard and parsley.
If you have herbed butter available add now.
Drizzle sauce over chicken and serve.

Make it a meal: Serve with steamed green beans and Loaded Sweet Potatoes (see recipe)

Wine: Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc

French Herb Butter

I love herb butters. Herb butters are rich and flavorful. Divas like rich. I like to keep a ramekin of something gorgeous in the refrigerator to add to soups, smear on breads, melt over pasta. They are all easy to make. The key is letting the butter soften at room temperature.

French Herb Butter

1 stick of butter

1 clove of garlic, chopped

1/2 shallot, chopped

parsley

thyme

1 splash dry white wine

capers

Mix everything in a bowl and smash into a ramekin.

Make it a meal: Serve atop grilled vegetables along with your Slow Cooked Lemon Chicken (see recipe)

Wine: Chardonnay or the rest of the bottle you opened to make the butter recipe.

Pasta Weesie

A nearby restaurant, Carrabba's Italian Grill, makes this dish. I love it so much, but only order it once a year, because I am sure there is loads of butter in it. Here is my version. I use light ingredients and small amounts of butter. Unless I'm feeling decadent. Then I load it in.

Pasta Weesie

8-10 large shrimp, cooked, tails off (I've never understood keeping the tails on--I hate reaching into my food to tear off tails)

½ cup sautéed mushrooms (I used baby Bella)

½ cup of white wine

butter

1 garlic clove, minced

squeeze of lemon

chives, chopped

½ jar of Alfredo Sauce (I used Ragu Light)

½ box whole wheat fettuccine, cooked

Romano or Parmesan cheese

pepper


Sauté mushrooms in wine with a bit of butter, the garlic, and lemon.
Add the Alfredo Sauce and chives.
Put the cooked pasta in a pretty, shallow bowl.
Top with the Alfredo mix and a bit of Romano cheese and fresh pepper.

Make it a meal: Serve with Crab Delights (see recipe) and side salad.

Wine: Chardonnay

Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce

Here is a product I declare simply marvelous. Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce is all that and a bag of chips. My man and I enjoyed it atop cheeseburgers and then we dipped our French fries in them. We enjoyed the flavor so much that by the end of the meal we were dredging our grilled vegetables through the sauce. The sauce has wonderful tomato flavors with a bit of tang and hints of garlic and molasses. Personally, I prefer a bit of heat in my sauce, so I look forward to trying Country Bob's Spicy variety. When I do, read about it here.

Country Bob's website, http://www.countrybobs.com/, advertises that the sauce is available at over 3,000 retail stores. Better still, if you go to the website, you can try a bottle for free. Give it a shot!

Perfect Potato Salad

There are many variations of potato salad. This one is tried and true. Sometimes I like to put chicken bullion into the boiling water for extra flavor.

Perfect Potato Salad

4 large russet potatoes, cubed

3/4 cup mayonnaise

2 scoops sweet pickle relish

3 tsp. white sugar

2 tsp. onion, chopped

1 scoop Dijon mustard

2 cap-fuls Champagne vinegar

1 celery stalk, chopped

2 sprinkles parsley

salt & pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes until soft, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the rest of the ingredients in a pretty bowl.
When the potatoes are done, drain and stir into the mayonnaise mixture.
Sprinkle some paprika on top for a polished look.

Make it a meal: Serve with your favorite BBQ chicken and Grilled Asparagus (see recipe)

Wine: Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc

My Mother's Bruchetta

My mother whipped this up and brought it to a friend's island getaway. It was devoured immediately by topless, peckish men in bathing suits down by the water. Life does not get much better than that!

My Mother's Bruchetta

1 baguette French bread

2 fresh tomatoes, diced

2 scoops store-bought pesto

1 glug olive oil

2 spoonfuls Parmesan cheese

Cut the baguette into slices and place on a baking sheet.
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes until lightly toasted.
Remove and let cool (this can be done up to 3 hours ahead of time).
Meanwhile mix the tomatoes, pesto, olive oil, and cheese.
Spread tomato mixture over the little toasts and serve immediately.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of grilled chicken thighs and a spinach salad.

Wine: Chianti or Cabernet Sauvignon