Sweet Potato Sticks

I had epic plans to come home from work last night and edit photos for the rest of my posts for this week. Unfortunately that didn’t happen. You see, I rediscovered this thing called knitting. Did you know you can make articles of clothing out of a ball of yarn? It’s amazing! Anyway, since yesterday I knit for hours instead of editing photos, here is a never before seen post complete with recipe for your viewing pleasure. Not sure why I never published this, as I really love the pictures. They are proof you don’t need a fancy camera to take nice photos, and yet I still bought one…

 

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The other day I got a really bad craving for sweet potato fries. They are not available at many restaurants I go to, and I miss them so I decided to make them. I didn’t want to actually fry them as someone told me fried foods are a bit unhealthy. I decided the bake them instead. They were super delicious but I didn’t want to call them Sweet Potato Fries because that name is misleading. These do not live up to the name fry as they were not completely crunchy on the outside and mushy in the center. When I held them up they flopped down, definitely not worthy of the title fry, but nonetheless delicious. I think you could probably rectify the lack of crunch by broiling for a bit at the very end. Anyhoot here’s what I did:

I cut up the sweet potatoes into sticks.

I sprayed a cookie sheet.

I spread the sweet potatoes on the sheet.

I brushed them with olive oil.

I grated parmesan cheese on the top.

I ground sea-salt and black pepper onto them.

I baked them in the oven at 415 degrees for 15 minutes.

I flipped them all over, brushed them with oil, grated cheese onto them, and then seasoned them.

I returned them to the 415 degree oven for another 10 minutes.

Then I ate them all, only sharing a few with Tex.

We both really liked these things I call Sweet Potato Sticks.

<3 Frank

Confession from a Daniel Radcliffe Fanatic

I have a confession.

I’m not just a Harry Potter fanatic, I adore Daniel Radcliffe.

I think he’s the bees’ knees, the cream of the crop, larger than life and a few other clichés as well. Because of my adoration, my parents, brother, boyfriend, and I went to go see “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” on Friday night.

I was as excited as a kid locked in FAO Swartz overnight.  I was literally sitting on the edge of my very tiny seat, for the entire show.  My thought process during the show went something like this, “Oh,my, god! There he is. He’s so cute. I can’t believe I am in the same room as him again. He’s talking in an American accent. Oh he’s so cute. Oh my god, he’s dancing, and he’s a good dancer. Oh he’s so cute. Wow, he can sing. I wonder when he learned to sing, on the set of Harry Potter, maybe? Wow, he’s really cute. Um, he’s pretty funny. I’m laughing. He’s delivering his lines and making me laugh. I can’t believe I’m really seeing this right now. Wow he’s cute. He’s been kissing that girl for like an entire song- gross. She’s not very cute. Oh he’s singing and dancing now. Oops, he tripped. Is he okay? He’s okay, he’s laughing at himself. Oh my god, he laughs at himself.  Wow he’s amazing.  I am so excited to be here. I’m in the same room as him. Aw man, it’s over. It was so good. I want to see it again!” I may have also been squealing, both in my head and aloud.

After seeing this show, I conclude that Daniel Radcliffe was meant to perform on stage, musically. Movies do not do him justice.  I also saw him in Equus- the play where he gets naked on stage. My aunt and I had seats sort of behind the stage. At one point, he was literally 5 feet away from me, and naked. Other than it being mildly awkward, it was pretty awesome. But, even that play, one in which he demonstrated his excellent acting skills, did not do him justice.  

It’s like How to Succeed was written for him and John Larroquette. They are incredible together. I left the theater, with a giant smile on my face and that smile returns every time I think of it. I give it all the stars in the universe and then some.

Then yesterday I purchased Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 on dvd, only to have my Daniel Radcliffe high smashed by my father who wouldn’t let me watch it.

Seeing How to Succeed in Business was part 1 of the two things I have to look forward to in November. The other is happening at Midnight on Thursday.  Do you know what that is? If you do, then I’m sure you’re either 1. Very Excited  or 2. Have someone in your life who’s as big a nerd as I am.  In case you didn’t know, it’s the midnight release of the newest Twilight movie. I know it’s bad. Really, I know. But I can’t help it, I love it anyway.

And with that, I am finished with revealing what a giant nerd I am for today.

<3 Frank

{This Moment 3}

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see.

Amanda Blake Soule

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Baked Fish

I have rewritten this first sentence about a hundred times,trying to bring humour to the fact that this is the second recipe I’m posting this week, but there’s not really anything funny about that. In fact, I think it’s awesome. I enjoy food and recipes and food blogs, so I’m perfectly happy posting two recipes in one week. I actually feel silly that I wanted to make it amusing.  In the absence of a laughter inducing way to start this post, I’m going to go ahead a jump right into the recipe now.

This is my go-to recipe for fish. Every time I make this, I get about 100 complements from Jon alone. Apparently, it’s his favorite thing that I make. As for which fish to use, you can use your discretion. When I pick a fish, I always try to follow the guidelines set by the Monterrey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch. I’ve made this with many different types of fish, Salmon, Atlantic Cod, Atlantic Sea Bass, and in this case, Steelhead Trout.  I prefer to use cod because it’s a flaky but meaty, less fishy, fish but this is good no matter which fish you choose, as long as it’s a thicker fish. One exception to this rule is tuna; don’t try this with tuna. I imagine that would taste bad.

Once you choose and purchase a fish, wash it by running it under cold water. Spread a thin layer of olive oil on the bottom of a baking dish. Put washed fish into the baking dish with the skin down.

Chop tomatoes, onion, and olives (Spanish or Kalamata are my favorite), and put into a bowl.

Toss capers,olive oil and a bit of lemon juice into the bowl. Salt and pepper to taste.

Make sure the ingredients in the bowl are mixed. Spread bowl’s concoction into an even layer over the top of the fish.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for thirty to forty minutes, until fish is cooked.

Enjoy!

Note:  The list above is the basic ingredients, that I always use but if I have fresh parsley or marinated artichoke hearts, I add those as well.

This time, I served this with sides of couscous and tomato & mozzarella salad. If you’ve never tried to cook fish before, or you always marinate it in premade marinade, give this recipe a try. It feels and looks fancy but it is easy and delicious.

Happy Cooking!

<3 Frankie

Kitty Update

I mentioned, a while back, that we were going to bring the stray kitten to the pound. Well, fortunately that never happened! Instead we brought him to the vet, for his first check up and shots. We’re slowly integrating him into the family.

You may recall, I wanted to call him Mr. Darcy and I was calling him that almost the entire time he’s been with us. Meanwhile, my mom was consistently calling him Tony. I don’t like the name Tony for several reasons, mostly because of the alliteration thing, Tex and Tony. (By the way, yesterday the Duggars announced they’re expecting their twentieth child!) Anyway, the cat’s name is Tony. It’s stupid and I really hate it but it’s what stuck. I just call him “Tone” or “T.”

Integrating a new animal into the house is a very delicate process. Luckily, Tony and Tex are fast friends. They chase each other around outside, and Tony is an active participant; he chases Tex right back. It’s highly amusing to watch Tex run from a cat. Tony walks underneath Tex’s body (between his front and hind legs) and rubs his back against Tex’s torso, which really confuses Tex. Tex has also taught Tony how to beg for table scraps. It’s not so good when Tony does it because he’ll jump on your my lap while you’re I’m eating pizza and scare the daylights out of you me. He also eats any, and everything, including; Tex’s food, pizza, cheese, fish, apples, onions, olives, and Chana masala. I think Tex and Tony will be best friends forever.

Of course, not all relationships are love at first, second, third, or fiftieth sight. Some relationships take time to develop, as is the case with Tony and our other cat, Autumn, affectionately called Boop. Boop does not like Tony. At. All.

Last night, Boop went so far to bite/ scratch Tony’s hind leg and draw blood. No one saw what happened, but I’m sure it involved food somehow. I’ve already told you about Tony’s affinity for food, and you can deduce from the above photo that Boop loves food too. Her stomach drags on the ground when she walks! At least Tony realizes that Boop doesn’t like him. Anytime she is within his sight, or in his way to go somewhere, he immediately sits down and begins to clean himself. It reminds me of a scene from Shrek with Puss in Boots. But generally, it works, Boop will just growl and walk away.

It’s a tedious process, getting to cats to like each other. I’m not sure there’s really anything we can do except wait. I am making sure to acquaint them with each other’s scents, but that’s all I really know to do.

Jon is not Tony’s biggest fan, either. He’s a bit (read very) afraid of Tony. I guess Tony can be a bit rambunctious: chasing Tex, attacking strings, jumping on your lap while your eating. For someone who has never been a cat person, that can be a bit daunting. I’m hoping that both Jon and Boop learn to tolerate, if not like Tony because everyone else is really enjoying his presence.

Have you ever introduced a new animal into your home, and had resistance from your other pets? How do you encourage cats to like each other?  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

<3 Frankie

 

 

Roasted Butternut Squash

On Friday, after reading Rose’s post about Chili with Butternut squash, I really wanted to use up some of the Butternut squash leftover from the CSA. I didn’t have many of the ingredients to make chili, so I improvised and roasted the Butternut Squash instead. It was so easy and so delicious! This is a great recipe to try if you’ve never worked with Butternut squash before. I will also go ahead and bet that kids would love this, as it’s sweet and savory. MmMm… it would make a good non-traditional side on Thanksgiving as well…

My biggest issue with Butternut squash is peeling it. In the past, I’ve given up on peeling them because it was so difficult. If I learned one thing, it’s never to use a potato peeler to attempt to peel a squash. It doesn’t work . However I just googled how to peel Butternut squash, and apparently I should always google before I figure it out on my own. If you put the squash in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, you can easily peel it with a potato peeler. On Friday, I just used a sharp knife and cut the skin off. It was easy, but time-consuming.

Once the peeling ordeal is finished, cut the Butternut squash into smallish chunks. Put them in a roasting pan.

Peel and cut an apple and add that to the pan. 

Cut an onion into chunks and add that into the pan.

You can also add dried cranberries, or fresh cranberries if you have them. I only had dried, which worked perfectly as they added a nice crunch to the dish, but I imagine fresh cranberries would be delicious as well.

Sprinkle some cinnamon, allspice, cumin, salt and pepper into the pan.( I photographed curry powder but really added cumin.) 

Next, squeeze in some maple (or regular) agave nectar and some olive oil. 

Toss it all together and bake it in the oven at 375* for thirty-five to forty minutes. About midway through the baking time, Mix it up so it cooks evenly.

This makes a great side dish, but I ate it as a meal, with a side of brie. I do that; eat cheese as a side. It’s unhealthy, but not as unhealthy as eating it as a main course. Or maybe it’s more unhealthy than eating it as a main course. I’m not sure, but I really love cheese.

This is my favorite kind of recipe because you only dirty one baking pan/ baking dish. I guess you also dirty a cutting board and knife, but this really is a one dish side/meal, which in my humble opinion is the best kind.  It’s easy, delicious and healthy, with minimal clean up. Winner! Try it. I promise you won’t regret it! Unless you don’t like Butternut squash, or onions, or if you have no control and eat so much of it you get a belly ache. That can happen. Not that I know from experience or anything.

Warning: I may be on a Butternut Squash kick. It’s one of my favorite veggies for fall and winter so this may be the first of many Butternut squash recipes. I’ll keep you posted. And I think, next year, I’ll grow some in my garden. That’ll be fun…

Happy Cooking!

<3 Frank

Surprise Party

Hello Friends!

I got my memory card reader in the mail, so now I can finally upload all the pictures from my canon. I thought I would recap how my dad’s sixtieth party went, with plenty of pictures.

So it snowed… in October… on the day we had my dad’s party. My dad gets very nervous about driving in inclement weather, so as expected, he refused to leave to go to the movies with my sister. It was a BIG BUMMER. Instead of yelling “Surprise” with a houseful of guests, my mom, my sister and I had to break the news about the party. We all put our costumes on and walked into the family room where he was sitting watching tv. He asks, “What’s going on? Are you going to a costume party?” and my mom said, “Yes, yours.” His reply was “You’ve got to be s**tting me! People are coming here!? Today!? In THIS weather!? In the Snow!?” My response was “Yea, well we didn’t plan the snow.” Eventually he got excited. He went upstairs to take a nap, and he was supposed to come downstairs and yell surprise when all the guests had arrived, but my brother spilled the beans that he was upstairs. Other than it becoming a regular Halloween Costume Birthday Party instead of a Surprise Halloween Costume Birthday Party, it was great and I think it made my dad really happy.

The above pictures were taken when my sister and my dad were telling some kind of story.  I don’t remember what either of them were saying but I remember struggling to keep myself still to get a good picture. They are so funny. You can’t really tell from these two pictures but they look very alike, and they speak with the same movements. I was really happy to capture these two images.

The dessert table was the best. I made oatmeal cookies, mint chocolate chip cookies, coconut rum cupcakes, pumpkin cheesecake, chocolate covered pretzel witch fingers, and white candy coated vienna finger ghosts. Everything was really cute. The cupcakes were definitely amazing. The pumpkin cheesecake was really yummy, but it was more pumkin-y than cheesecakey and I would’ve prefered it to be a little less pumpkin-y.

I also made macaroni and cheese and this salad. I forgot to take a picture of the mac and cheese but it was delicious. It’s my own recipe so I don’t have a link. This salad is a common offering at restaurants. It had arugula, pine nuts, dried cranberries, and goat cheese in it. It’s one of my favorites. How adorable were the food labels I made?

The costumes were my favorite part. Above my best friend and her parents were three blind mice, and my aunt and uncle were vampires. Below, the big reveal of Tex and Jon. Tex was obviously a shark and Jon was a fisherman, the Gorton’s fisherman to be precise.

My sister, mom, and I were all characters from my dad’s favorite movies; Miss Congeniality, The Wizard of Oz, and Indiana Jones. Tex could also pass as Jaws. I think my brother just picked the costume where he could show the most skin. He gives new meaning to Slutty Halloween.

Anyway It was an awesome Birthday Party for my dad. I hope you enjoyed this little peek into it.

Happy Monday!

<3 Frank

{This Moment 2}

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see.

Amanda Soule

23 Reasons I Love Cass

Hey Guys!

In honor of today being my little sister’s 23^rd birthday, I thought I would share with you 23 Reasons why I love her. (Side note to Cass: I know there are a few things on this list that you might think are bad or embarrassing but really these are some of my favorite things about you. You’re perfect in your uniqueness. I hope you always hold onto these qualities with both hands; change for no-one. I love you so much and I wouldn’t change a thing about you, not even for a million dollars…)

1.Cassa has the most infectious laugh ever. When she finds something really funny, she laughs with her entire essence and it’s contagious. You can’t help but laugh with her.

2. She innocently asks the silliest questions. She must save up all her questions from our time apart to ask when we’re together. I bet it’s because I’m her older sister and she trusts me, but sometimes they are just so outrageous I can’t help but crack up.

3.She’s an accountant but she always asks me to do the everyday math, like calculating sales prices and tips.

4. She calls me up to ask what she should make for dinner. Then she calls me back to ask how to make it.

5. She has the worst sense of direction of anyone I’ve ever met, ever. It’s endearing.

6. She sings show tunes with me, quite loudly, sometimes with no music to back us. Occasionally, she knows some of the words, but never the notes.

7. Once, she accidentally let her dog walk in wet cement.

8. Another time, she realized half way on her way to the vet, that she forgot something… her dog.

9. She confuses cities, for countries, for counties, for continents. Understanding geography is not her forte.

 10. She occasionally repeats phrases that she heard wrong and never understood. It’s hilarious and I wish I could think of an example but I can’t. (Update: Jessi gave me some examples: “The cradles have turned.” “It was the straw that broke my back.”)

 11. She is absolutely gorgeous but has no idea just how pretty she is.

 12. She remembers to send cards, flowers, or presents for all the appropriate occasions. I admire this, because I’m terrible at it. (side note to Cassa: I will order your present tonight, you should get it next week sometime…)

 13. Whenever she goes out to sushi with me, we get a complementary roll from the sushi chef.

 14. Whenever we go to Dunkin Donuts, she gets several extra free donuts from the Dunkin Donuts guy.

 15. She buys nice clothes which she decides she doesn’t like so I get.

 16. She has such a giving soul. And she gives the best presents.

 17. She’s learning to cook, and tries exotic (to me) recipes like Pork Chops. It impresses me.

18. She actually likes beer, and drinks it. ( I hate it and highly admire any woman who enjoys the taste).

 19. She has the craziest curliest hair and she looks like a lion when she doesn’t straighten it.

 20. She introduced me to some of my favorite people. Her best friends have become some of my best friends. She is a great judge of the character of women. (Historically, her taste in men has not been as good.)

 21. When we were little, she ALWAYS forgot to wear underwear. ” Mom, we have to turn around, she forgot again!” was shouted by yours truly from the back of the car on the way to school.

 22. She can be in the worst mood ever and then twenty minutes later be laughing and have forgotten about it.

 23. Because of her, I am a big sister. It is my favorite title. She’s my little sister and my best friend and I miss her when we’re not together.

Happy Birthday Cassa Mae!! I love you so much.

<3 Frank

Magic…

Hey Friends,

Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about the trip Jon and I took to Portugal last December.

Now that my dad’s party is over, I feel like I don’t have anything to look forward to and it’s bumming me out a little bit. I want to get excited for the holidays, but right now I can’t help but reminisce about our trip. Thinking about it makes me feel better but also makes me long to get away.

Portugal was amazing. This picture was taken in a garden full of different secret passageways in Sintra. These stepping-stones were in a little man-made pond that had green algae floating on top. It was a magical place. It makes me happy just thinking about it.

Where do you go in your head when you need a little magic?

<3 Frankie