Pizzasketti, Or One Way to Use Up Leftover Pasta

If you're anything like me, every time you cook pasta you end up with leftover noodles. This is nothing to complain about, as you can use those aforementioned noodles in a myriad of ways. Heat 'em up with butter, parmesan, salt & pepper for a comforting lunch or snack. Add them to your morning scrambled eggs to stretch them further, or combine the noodles with leftover veggies & meats and bake a frittata. 

Last week I was on a total carb binge and made pasta for dinner twice. The first was my typical spicy tomato sauce with fusilli and the second was a lemon, goat cheese and broccoli spaghetti dish. Needless to say, by Friday I had an overabundance of plain, cooked noodles crowding my fridge. 

Since my last two attempts at making pizza crust failed miserably, I had two spare packages of pepperoni lingering in the cheese drawer. If I didn't use them up soon, they'd continue to remind me of my bread/pizza making inadequacies. (As if my boyfriend hasn't reminded me enough.)

If you can't tell, I dislike failure. But I'm also a stubborn, tenacious person, so I'll continue researching breads and recipes until I find one that works for me. My next course of action is to attempt a genuine cookbook recipe instead of a random one from the internet. It's probably my own fault, though. I keep getting lured by these super-easy-hardly-any-kneading-or-rising-time-needed-but-supposed-to-turn-out-like-perfect-bread recipes. And of course these online recipes aren't super specific. I'm betting I was supposed to use quick-rise yeast, even though they never mentioned it. Le sigh.

Also, in three weeks I have a Thanksgiving date with my stepmother. She's going to bring her copy of Joy of Cooking and we're making bread together. Can't wait to finally make a proper pizza crust and shove it in my boyfriends face, both literally and figuratively. 

Ahem, slightly sorry for the tangent. 

Back to the pizzasketti. Or "Fake Pizza" as my boyfriend lovingly calls it.

It's a pizza inspired pasta dish that's great for using up whatever leftovers you happen to have hanging around.

In other words, totally versatile, just like actual pizza.

Cast-Iron Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Crust

Happy Monday, all. It's cloudy outside with a chance of rain, which is pepping my mood, but it's still lingering in the lower 80s here in Dallas.

Despite this, I've gone into full-fledged comfort food mode.

I couldn't help myself. (Who can resist chicken pot pie, baked goods and pumpkin pie spice flavored treats??)

Sure, I don't have 50 degree weather as an excuse. (Something I desperately long for now.)

Instead, I blame it on my October issue of Everyday Food. Yes, a magazine made me do it.

For weeks on end, this issue sat on my desk with its mini chicken pot pie cover photo challenging me to make the ultimate comfort food.

Keep in mind that I'd only ever gone so far as to heat up a store-bought frozen pot pie for dinner. I had my doubts and imagined hours of slaving over the dough and filling.




But the more I glimpsed the chicken pot pie photograph, the more intense my craving grew. Desperation and laziness won. 

I ended up buying two frozen chicken pot pies from Whole Foods. They were tiny, expensive ($5 a piece) and disappointingly bland.

I knew I could do better myself, but was hesitant to make a pie crust from scratch. Ever the problem-solver, I searched online for easier options that appeal to people like me with noob-level pastry skills.

That's when I stumbled upon Eat Live Run's recipe for Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Crust. Voila! I'd found an alternative to pie crust—frozen sheets of pastry crust! 

But, as tasty as her recipe looked, I really wanted a filling with white wine, so I looked onward. 

Eventually I discovered Real Simple's Chicken and Vegetable Potpie recipe, adapted it slightly and made one of the tastiest comfort meals I've ever eaten. 

Pan-Fried Pork Bratwursts & Sweet Onions in Hard Apple Cider

Last week I had an intense hankering for hard apple cider. I had only ever tried three types of hard cider and there all relatively sweet, so I wanted something less sugary and more apple-y.

I'd seen this blue label haunting the refrigerated beer isles several times, so I gave it a try. So glad I did! I picked the extra-dry "brut" variation (they have an original that's probably a tad bit sweeter) and it reminded me of champagne, except for the strong emphasis on apple. It was incredibly refreshing.

I happened to have a package of Pork Brats chilling in the fridge at the time, so I decided to cook them in my beverage of choice. I usually use beer, but figured this would work wonderfully for a fall flavored meal.

Boy was it delicious, especially the caramelized onions! They absorbed the flavor of the cider as it reduced in the pan. Yum!

So, for an easy weeknight or weekend meal, try pan-fried brats in whatever cold beverage you're drinking. Well, wine might be a little weird. I wouldn't recommend that. Beer or cider, though...that's magnificent!

Plus, it gives you an excuse to buy a six-pack. Or two or three.

It's absolutely necessary to taste-test the beverages before you cook your food in it, right? Or while you're cooking it, if you're like me. :)

Pan-Fried Pork Bratwursts & Sweet Onions in Hard Apple Cider
A seasonal take on classic beer brats, this recipe infuses pan-fried sausages and caramelized sweet onions with hard apple cider. The dry cider enhances the apple flavor without added sweetness and pairs perfectly with the pork bratwursts. Serve with good mustard and sauerkraut for a german-style meal.
Serves: 4

Ingredients
1 tablespoon of cooking oil (I use olive oil, bacon grease, or coconut oil)
Sea salt, to taste (I recommend Pink Himalayan, Celtic or Utah sourced salt)
Cracked black pepper, to taste
4 fresh bratwurst sausages (pork, chicken, or beef)
6-8 ounces of hard apple cider (about 1/2-3/4 of a 12 oz bottle...drink the rest!)
1 package of hot-dog buns (fresh made from a local bakery are the best)

Recommended Equipment
cast-iron skillet

Directions
Heat a cast-iron skillet to medium, then add the olive oil. Peel and cut the onion into thick wedges. Place in the pan, sprinkle with sea salt & cracked black pepper to taste (or whatever other seasonings you like) and let cook for five minutes to seven minutes, stirring occasionally.

Nestle the four bratwurst sausages into the pan, scooting the onions aside so the brats are directly touching the pan. Cover the pan with a lid. Let the brats cook for five minutes, remove the lid and flip them. Cover the pan again, cook for another five minutes. By now both sides of the brats should be thoroughly browned. Remove the lid and pour in the hard apple cider. Reduce the heat to medium-low, again cover the pan and let the brats cook for 10 minutes.

Test the brats for pinkness by cutting into one or use a meat thermometer. If necessary, cook for another five minutes. When cooked, remove brats from pan and leave the lid off. Turn the heat up to medium-high or high and let the onions & cider cook until most if not all of the liquid has reduced. Place each brat on a bun and top with the caramelized onions. Eat as is or for a more authentic meal, serve with mustard and sauerkraut.

Notes & Tips
Use fresh bratwursts from a local grocer or deli market, if possible. If not, you can certainly use one of the national brands. Just make sure to buy raw bratwursts and not the pre-cooked variety.

Watch the brats carefully. They can overcook quickly. Cooking times may vary based on different stove-top ranges and equipment. Just keep an eye on 'em, but sip on some cider or beer while you're doing so. ;)

If you don't like hard apple cider, substitute your favorite beer. Any beer will work, although the flavors will change based on your beer of choice. This is more noticeable if you're using a craft or seasonal beer, as those breweries employ lots of different seasonings.

Keep in mind that if you're subbing chicken or turkey bratwursts, they are easier to dry out because they have a lower fat content. Keep an eye on them!

Question for Discussion: What are your favorite toppings for bratwurst? 

Answer in the comments section below or join the conversation on The Rising Spoon Facebook page. Prefer Twitter? And feel free to circle me on Google Plus or follow me on Pinterest.

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. However, I ONLY recommend helpful products that I myself would use. And I'm really picky about what I share with you guys. Because I myself am super choosy about what I buy and consume. Recommending products that I love or want to own helps me cover the costs of running this blog and keep providing you with free, helpful information. And it costs nothing extra for you. Thanks!

How to Make Pumpkin Pie Spice

Learn how to make your own pumpkin pie spice blend with a few warm spices you probably already have in your pantry. Mixing it yourself saves you money and ensures your seasonings are fresh & potent for all your favorite autumn recipes like pie, pumpkin spice lattes, cookies, muffins, and more!

Hey, all. If there's one thing I like doing, it's helping people save money.

What's one way to achieve this?

Assemble or make things at home, rather than buying them pre-packaged. Especially when it's ridiculously simple and takes all of five seconds.

For example, making your own pumpkin pie spice with warm spices from your pantry.

So you can then make pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin apple muffins, pumpkin butter, and pumpkin pie milkshakes on the fly whenever you have a craving.

Please, please, please don't spend $5-6 dollars on a little .5-1 ounce container of pumpkin pie spice if you can avoid it.

Twice-Baked Japanese Sweet Potatoes with Chopped Walnuts & Dates

Need a new way to serve sweet potatoes that'll have everyone gobbling up their portions and asking for more? Look no further!

Why Your Normal Sweet Potatoes Suck 

I spent years eating ho-hum sweet potatoes, always wondering why they tasted bland (not sweet like their name implied) and needed tons of toppings. 

Well, it turns out several factors come into play to affect the final flavor: 

1. the variety of sweet potatoes you choose 
2. how fresh they are (local & in-season taste the best) 
3. how you cook them

Through trial and error, I discovered that sweet potatoes taste the best when they're slow-roasted in the oven. This method helps to bring out their natural sugars and give the sweet potatoes a ton of flavor with a hint of sweetness. 

They taste so good after roasting them that you could eat them plain with no toppings whatsoever. I've done this before! Or, I'll whip them with fresh ingredients like my orange-maple mashed roasted sweet potatoes. 

However, I still prefer to add a bit of sea salt and grass-fed butter or coconut oil (healthy fats) to help my body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins in the potato.



My Favorite New Tuber: Japanese Sweet Potatoes 

If you've looked for sweet potatoes at the grocery store lately, you might have noticed there are quite a few varieties to choose from - not just regular ol' yams. One of my all-time favorites for the ultimate sweet potato experience is Japanese sweet potatoes (when they're in season). 

These lovely sweet potatoes have a deep red/purple colored skin with a butter-colored interior flesh, which darkens into a nutty, golden color after cooking. And their texture is drier and much sweeter than typical (orange) sweet potatoes. 

Because of this, Japanese sweet potatoes are delicious eaten plain or with minimal toppings for a weeknight dinner. I've done this many a time.

But why settle for good when you can have stellar? Japanese sweet potatoes are over-the-top delicious when they're mashed and mixed with toppings that contrast and compliment their inherent sweetness. 

How do I know this? Sheer experimentation! And a desire to switch up one of my current favorite foods.

Hence the creation of this twice baked sweet potato recipe. My first thought was to add chopped walnuts, but I decided that was too simple. Then I remembered eating Medjool dates with walnuts baked in them, which were FABULOUS! 

I had a feeling the caramel and nut combo would compliment the potato's delicate sweetness. And at the spur of the moment, I added tangy goat cheese into the filling to contrast the sweetness of the dish and drizzled a tidbit of honey on top to finish. 

The verdict? The flavors are glorious together! 

If you're looking for a new way to serve sweet potatoes that will make everyone's belly happy without the need for brown sugar and marshmallows, give this recipe a try!

yield: 2 servingsAuthor: Elaina Newton - The Rising Spoonprint recipe

Twice-Baked Japanese Sweet Potatoes

prep time: 5 MINScook time: 1 hour and 15 MINStotal time: 1 hours and 20 mins

Need a new way to serve sweet potatoes that'll have everyone gobbling up their portions and asking for more? Try this slightly sweeter and drier variety of sweet potato (Japanese sweet potato) twice-baked and mixed with butter, tangy cheese, warm spices, dates, walnuts, and a drizzle of raw honey.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small Japanese sweet potato, rinsed thoroughly
• 2 teaspoons butter or coconut oil (like THIS)
• 2 tablespoons goat cheese
• 1 teaspoon organic turbinado OR real maple syrup (like THIS)
• 1/2 teaspoon + a pinch, Ceylon cinnamon powder (like THIS)
• 1/2 teaspoon + a pinch, ground nutmeg
• 1 Medjool date, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of walnuts or stovetop candied pecans, chopped
• 2 teaspoons of raw honey

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the potato thoroughly, dry off, then poke the skin a few times with a fork. When the oven is heated, bake the sweet potato for an hour.
2. Remove from oven, let cool for a few minutes. Slice in half lengthwise and scoop the filling of each potato half into a small bowl, making sure to keep the shell (sweet potato skin) intact. Mash the sweet potato, then mix in butter, goat cheese, turbinado or maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. Using a spoon, fill each sweet potato shell (or boat/skin) with half the mixture. Pit and chop one Medjool date and a 1/2 palmful of walnuts (about 4-6). Sprinkle the date and walnut bits evenly on both sweet potato boat.
4. Place on a large baking sheet and back into the oven for another 15-25 minutes, or until the filling is adequately reheated. Remove from oven and drizzle each sweet potato boat with raw honey.

http://www.therisingspoon.com/2012/10/twice-baked-japanese-sweet-potatoes.html

© The Rising Spoon. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not reprint this recipe without my written permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please take your own pictures, rewrite the directions in your own words, and link to this post as the original source. Thank you!

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What's your favorite way to eat sweet potatoes?

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PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. However, I ONLY recommend helpful products that I myself would

MEDICAL DISCLOSURE: The information included on this website is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. None of the opinions expressed here are meant to diagnose or treat any disease or illness. You should always consult your healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for your own situation or if you have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan.

How to Cook: Easy & Versatile Oven-Baked Chicken Breasts

When I first began cooking for myself, I had the hardest time with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Every time I attempted to pan-fry or bake them, the thinner edges near the tips dried out quickly while the middle remained pink. By the time I had the middle properly cooked, the rest was tough and chewy. For a fledgling cook (or any cook) this is extremely frustrating! 

So, why did this happen? 

Well, boneless skinless chicken breasts these days are HUGE. They're generally 12-16 oz a piece (3/4-1 lb.), which is waaaay too big a portion for one person. Especially if you're eating the chicken as a part of a larger meal. One nutritional serving is 4 oz! 

What's the solution? 

You have a two basic options: 

1) Cover the breasts with plastic wrap and pound them with a flat, heavy object  (like a cast-iron pan) until they are all uniform in size. Prepare them as you normally would. This time, the middle and outer edges should finish cooking at the same time.

2) After you've flattened them (as described above), cut each breast in half horizontally, forming two thin cutlets. These will cook very quickly on the stove-top or in the oven.

I can attest to both methods. HOWEVER, if you're like me and hate pounding chicken, there is a third option. 

Panko & Nutritional Yeast Crusted Oven-Baked Chicken Thighs

A few days ago I stumbled upon a manger's special on bone-in chicken thighs as my local supermarket. I scored a ten-pack of hefty sized thighs for only $4. I've noticed that chicken prices have gone up at many places I shop, so that's a great deal for me. 

I used to avoid bone-in chicken because it required so much prep work. 

First removing the skin, then cutting off extra fat and any unsavory looking parts. If I was interrupted or had to multi-task, I'd have to wash my hands for what felt like a million times. (I'm pretty paranoid about ecoli/salmonella). 

Now, I don't mind it so much. I clear a space, make sure I have no distractions and hover over the trash can for 20-30 minutes, snipping precisely with kitchen shears. 

When I finished beautifying the chicken, I bagged and froze four thighs to use for homemade chicken stock, but wasn't sure how to cook the other eight pieces. I probably should have perused some of my favorite food blogs, but I felt lazy and simply googled chicken thigh recipes. 

That's when I stumbled upon an oven-fried chicken thigh recipe that called for panko crumbs and parmesan. I've been cooking panko-crusted chicken strips for awhile, but only use egg as the wet mixture before I dip it into the crumbs. 

This recipe called for lots of butter, spicy mustard and maple syrup instead. 

Sounded like a winner to me. 

And it was. 

It yielded the moistest chicken thighs I've ever eaten—no joke.

Emeril's Crock-Pot Beef Stew: 2.0

{Edit: Howdy! This specific post has received a lot of attention as of late, so if you're a new reader, welcome! While you're here feel free to browse my recipe index for more how-to posts and recipes. If you'd like to stay up to date with new posts, reviews, giveaways and deals subscribe to my newsletter or my posts via email. You can also follow me on bloglovin'. And be sure to say hello on facebook, twitter, etsy or Google+. Thanks for reading!}

Hello, all. How was your weekend? Mine was gray, rainy and slightly chilly—just how I like it! Seriously, it rained non-stop all day Saturday. I turned off the A/C, threw open the sliding glass door and plopped myself onto the nearby couch to listen to the steady droplets.

One Pluviophile Living in a Hot, Hot State 

If you don't know me personally, it's likely you're not privy to this fact: I'm a rain person. No, that doesn't mean I'm made of rain (although we're all made of water), but that I love, love, love rain. Overcast skies and thunderstorms make me giddy. That said, it's pretty comical that I live in Texas now. I swear I'm not trying to torture myself.

Someday I will live in the Northwestern region of America, probably in Washington State, Northern California (San Francisco—I wish!!!) or Oregon. My whole life people have told me I'd love it in Seattle. The city with the reputation for "raining" daily. How ironic that the one time I vacation there (two summers ago), it is 95+ degrees every day and doesn't rain a single drop. Despite this, Seattle was gorgeous (the mountains/ocean combo is undeniable) and the fish was the freshest I've ever eaten.

Winter Comfort Food Cravings

Le sigh. So back to the wonderful state of Texas. I must have had some latent foresight into the approaching temperature dips, because last Thursday I had the biggest hankering to make beef stew. I can't take full credit for the craving, since my older sister called me that afternoon asking about tips on the beef stew she was assembling. I made a few guesses, but couldn't give her anything concrete, because I'd never cooked the dish before.

For the next several hours, my thoughts drifted back to saucy beef, potatoes and carrots. Eventually I gave upon on daydreaming and searched online for a recipe. That's where I stumbled upon Emeril Lagasse's Beef Stew. Boy am I thankful. Sure, I hadn't ever cooked beef stew before, but I've eaten it plenty of times. This is hands down THE BEST beef stew I've ever come across. So, so, so flavorful.