My Little (Sweet) Potato (Biscuits)

When the boys were babies, I rediscovered Metamora's "Little Potato," a song that used to make me cringe when I was a teenager being forced to listen to public radio on the way to school with my mom. Of course, after I had my own kids, it became just one in a long line of things that suddenly made perfect sense.

I'm pretty sure that on more than one occasion when the boys were babies and I was at the height of my preemie twins insanity, I actually sat my friends down in my living room and made them listen to that song as if I was giving them a gift...oh, new moms are so delusional.

All that is to say that I must have good friends, seeing as none of them fled my house telling me to give them a call in a decade or so.

I've been thinking a lot about friendships. A girl I work with has the type of sunny disposition that draws people to her. She seriously makes friends everywhere she goes. I'm not so much like that. Unless you're super outgoing and deliberate in your pursuit, I pretty much have to be forced to interact with you for an extended period of time in order to become your friend...mostly that's because I'd have to know you well enough to know if we really had friend potential before I would feel confident in asking you on a friend date.

Anyway, I love my friends, but I think sometimes I give the impression that maybe I don't need them as much as I really do. It's one of the most unfortunate side effects of having babies, I think...people sort of just get in the habit of assuming that you're busy and that they'd be bothering you by asking you to hang out.

I don't know if I'll ever get back into that pre-motherhood groove with people where you could just call them up and ask if they wanted to hang out...and not only did they want to, but they could...right then, without even having to consult their calendars!

I'd love to be that spontaneous again someday. In the meantime, I'm just trying to be better at keeping up with everyone in a more meaningful way than reading their Facebook posts. The thing is, no matter how much I love you, I'm just not great a keeping in touch. It doesn't mean I don't totally want to hear your voice and know about all the things going on in your life. It's mostly that when it occurs to me to reach out just to say hi, I feel sort of awkward...probably because I'm so bad at staying in touch regularly. It feels weird to randomly call you up and make conversation...maybe I need to resurrect the old Sunday long distance phone call habit.

Or maybe, when I wish I could spontaneously call somebody up to ask them to get a beer, only to remember that they are probably busy with their small children and/or that they live across the country...maybe I should seize that moment and write them a random email. I think I'd be happy to get one of those.

And now, rather than sitting you down to listen to new age folk music, I offer you My Little Potato in sweet biscuit form as my Smart and Good recipe of the week. (I know this is blasphemy, but I have to admit that these turned out better when I made them the first time with real flour.)

Sweet Potato Biscuits (Gluten-free version)
Adapted from a recipe published in the now-defunct Wondertime magazine

A seasoned food photographer would not have put
that burnt corner in the center of the photo.

1 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes (2 big ones, or 3 small ones)
1 stick unsalted butter cut into chunks (use vegan "butter" if you want these to be vegan)
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp baking power
1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour
1 tsp Xanthan Gum

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Wash sweet potatoes, poke holes in them with a fork, and microwave for 10 minutes (or until soft)
3. Carefully cut open the sweet potatoes and scoop out the insides. Put sweet potatoes in a mixer with the butter. Whip for about 2 minutes.
4. Add the salt, sugar and spices. Mix and then let the mixture cool for 15 minutes.
5. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, Xanthan Gum, and baking power together.
6. Add flour mixture to sweet potatoes mixture and combine well. It should start to look a little doughy.
7. Roll the dough out on a floured surface. Use a knife to cut 2x2" squares.
8. Place dough squares on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes. They should be golden brown on the edges.

I like these warm with butter and honey. My kids think they're cookies and just gobble them up cold.

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Slow and Steady

Exciting news: I have a callous forming on my pointer finger! I've been practicing my guitar!

It's been six weeks and I can only play two legit chords...is that ridiculous, or about right?

Either way, even with those two chords, I feel like soon I'll be able to play a song. Now when I hear an acoustic song, I say "How many chords do you think this has?" in hopes that maybe one of the songs I already like will happen to be composed of the only two chords that I know. That would be amazing.

I do wish I'd just sat down and learned the guitar back when I was 18 and had pretty much nothing else to do, but I suppose I've still got a good 50 years to play guitar, so better late than never. Maybe I'll even figure out how to write songs. If I ever figure that out, I've already got lyrics, as my teenage poet self left behind enough verses to fill at least a few overwrought love songs.

All of this is to say that I think I'm track to cross #6 off my list by my birthday. I mean, I should be able to learn one song in the next 3 months, right? Right?!

She makes it look so easy...

Chili as Redemption

Oops, I didn't blog this weekend. I really meant to, but I did not. And I even had stuff to tell you and everything!

Saturday night was our belated Valentine's Day dinner. I had planned a dinner and a movie date, but we realized there were no movies worth seeing (I already saw Silver Linings Playbook), so we managed to be smart and remember that we've always wanted to go to Travail but we never have time to wait for a table. And so, the boys were off to grandma's and we were off to scenic Robbinsdale.

Now, let it be known that I wouldn't normally advocate for a place that doesn't take reservations and therefore forces you to wait for 2+ hours for a table (in Robbinsdale no less!), but Travail is special. Bon Appetit even thinks so. I had the pleasure of eating there on my last birthday with 7 of my generous friends. (Pro tip: You can make a group reservation at the big round table if you're willing to pay a large flat fee.) 

We arrived around 5:20 p.m., put our name on the list, and ordered a drink in the waiting area. During the wait, we discovered the tots, which are made with potatoes and bleu cheese (I think) and are AMAZING. But, that's just a side note. 

Heaven is tiny desserts.

We waited about 2 hours. The scene gets a little tense in that waiting area - every time you approach the bar, people get defensive of their 1x1 space and want to be sure you know that they were there first. Even if you're not even trying to get in line...and especially when they finally call your name and you proudly walk in front of everyone to be directed to your table. 

Anyway...we got seated. They offer an 8- and 15-course tasting menu - we got the 8-course menu because I didn't think I could eat 15, although maybe next time I'll try. (Btw, they offer menu items a la carte and people might actually order them that way, but that's just a silly waste of a 2-hour wait for a table in my opinion.)

So we ate. I don't even know what it was...they just bring you stuff and some of it is a course and some of it is an "amusement" and it's all fun and lovely. There was soup that tasted like gravy and a sous-vide egg in something green that was amazing and many other things that I did not photograph because my battery was nearly dead. At one point we were asked to close our eyes and the waiter assembled a frozen peanut butter and jelly concoction on the backs of our hands. Oh, and there was dry ice and pop-rocks (which I spit across the bar). 

But probably my favorite was the last course, the "Bite Flight" (pictured above). Each one of those pairs is a mini version of a thing you want to eat! Bananas foster, s'mores, white russian, caramel apple, creme brulee, and possible my favorite idea: Pound cake 5 ways. (It's that tiny square you see all the way in back.) I was giddy. The only thing I like better than dessert is a tray full of a million choices of dessert! 

The whole thing was just fun. (I know, such amazing descriptions, right? I'll probably never be a food critic.) And it was nice being there with my husband because the whole meal is served to be shared between two people...which is okay to do with friends, but probably better to do with your sweetheart. 

So that was my Valentine's Day/Saturday. It was NOT healthy or even remotely gluten, dairy or sugar free. In fact, it was so indulgent that I couldn't even bring myself to bake a healthy treat on Sunday.

But, have no fear, I've still got a Smart and Good recipe for you - and it's so healthy that it can redeem you from any food sins you may have committed the day before. (that's how it works, right?) 

The prettiest chili can be.

My Favorite Vegetable Chili in the Crockpot (gluten/dairy/sugar free!)

2 tablespoons red wine (this has sugar, you can skip if you don't want it to be AMAZING) 

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 jalapeno pepper, diced into tiny bits

1 rib celery, finely sliced

6 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 can black beans, , rinsed and drained

1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cups fat-free chicken or vegetable broth

1 can (6 ounces) natural tomato paste

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1. Heat red wine and olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until hot. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir until onions are tender. Put it in the slow cooker. 

2. Add all the other ingredients and stir it all up.
3. Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours.

I usually serve it with sour cream and cheese on top, but you can do whatever you want. And it's even better as leftovers the next day! And the next! And it's ALL good for you!

A Day Off

I need a vacation, but It's not in the cards this winter (because it's already in the cards this spring), so...

Today my husband and I transformed what could have been just another Tuesday into a mini vacation! I took the day off work (no calling in sick, this was legit), we sent the kids to school, and then rather than doing all the exhausting household/tasky stuff that generally consumes our weekends, we went to Mystic Lake Casino!

I haven't spent much time in our local casino - I would compare it to not wanting to ski a hill when you've already skied in the mountains - but we decided it was the closest we could get to Vegas in our allotted time window. As a bonus, they recently changed the laws so they can now serve liquor in the casino (it was totally dry before).

When we walked in, we immediately spotted one of my favorite slots: Invaders from the Planet Moolah. (The cows moo when you win!) I sat down and, on my second spin, hit the bonus and won $59!! This theme continued through Wizard of Oz and Hot Hot Super Respin, so when it was finally 11 am and the bar opened (an issue one never has to face in Vegas), we were ready to celebrate with a cocktail!

Now, my expectations weren't high for a martini in this casino, but it's what I wanted. I wish I'd taken a photo, but I guess I was so underwhelmed that it didn't occur to me to document it...the martini was served in a small plastic cup and the liquid only took up maybe 1/3 of that small cup. It was sort of hilarious. It tasted mediocre, which is what I expected, but, whatever, this martini wasn't going to rain on my winning parade.

All in all, it was a lovely (and profitable) morning at the casino...but wait! There was more! After the casino, we went to see Identity Thief, because I love Jason Bateman. The movie is not good. Somehow they managed to make a bunch of funny people not be very funny, which makes the movie feel even longer than it actually is, which is too long. Much too long.

So, mediocre martinis and movie aside, any day that I find myself in both a casino and movie theater is a good day. Make it a day off from work when I don't have to pay anyone to watch my kids, and it's a GREAT day. Add in the fact that we won enough on slots that the day actually MADE us money rather than costing us anything and that's a SUPERAMAZINGSPECTACULAR day!

I suggest you all take one immediately.

A Muffin, Please

Do you remember that commercial from awhile back where the kid is drowning in a giant bowl of cereal, using a Froot Loop as a life preserver, and he says, "Can I just have a muffin, please?" I tried to find it but to no avail. (Here's a tip: Don't Google any phrase that includes "boy drowning" because you will get stories you don't want to know about.)

Yeah, well that's a little what I feel like lately, only the milk is my job. I just feel like I haven't quite found my footing yet...and I'm definitely a person who likes to have my footing. The drowning metaphor is a bit dramatic, sure, but you get my point. And don't we all just need a muffin sometimes?

Perhaps related to this sense of drowning-but-not-really-drowning, I tried to quit guitar this week. I'm terrible about practicing and I hate driving back to Uptown after I just got home from downtown (whine, whine, I know, poor me and the things I want to accomplish in my life), but then when I was sitting there in the lesson, I remembered that I actually want to learn to play and, in fact, I want to learn to play a Belly song...and then for a split second I fantasized about having a Belly coverband called Hot Burrito (but that's actually a cover, so it would have to be called Dusted instead)...so I didn't quit, I just switched the time so I can come directly from work. (I'm a genius!)

So in this story, Tanya Donelly was my muffin. And then today, I made real muffins.

So here it is, my Smart and Good recipe for the week, adapted from a random recipe I tore out of a random magazine long ago. (I didn't make these gluten free, but you easily could by subbing in gluten-free flour and a little xanthan gum.)

Better-Than-a-Giant-Bowl-of-Cereal (Dairy-Free/Refined Sugar-Free) Mini Zucchini Muffins

See the healthy stuff in there?!

3/4 cup cake flour (I used bread flour to use it up.)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 cup palm sugar
3 tsp. veg or coconut oil (melted)
1/2 cup grated zucchini
1/4 cup grated carrot
Healthy dash of salt
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk egg, sugar and oil. Stir in zucchini, carrots and salt.
4. Add the flour mixture to the vegetable mixture. Stir.
5. Stir in the nuts and flaxseed.
6. Grease a mini muffin tin (or two). Fill the cups 1/2 full.
7. Bake for 12 minutes. My recipe yielded 20 muffins today. I recommend eating them warm, with butter or coconut butter.

Enjoy!

Meet the Doke

This weekend wasn't great. The hard drive on my computer suddenly died. And even though I had backed it up about 3 months ago, I feel this strange sense of loss about it. As far as I can tell, all I really lost was our Christmas photos (backup all of your photos to the cloud right now!), but it's just unsettling when you are reminded how reliant you are on machines.

Ok, so rather than bringing you a Smart and Good recipe today, I'm bringing you a Dumb and Ridiculous recipe, which is a little bit how I feel about grieving my hard drive.

Two years ago I started the tradition of attempting a crazy dessert-inside-a-dessert on Superbowl Sunday. It began with Pake (pie inside a cake) and then came Pookie (pie inside a cookie - from the Cakespy cookbook), so this year I attempted Doke...donuts inside a cake.

But before I take you through the Doke, I want to say that I also made these Mathematically Perfect Nachos and while they were awesome, I'm pretty sure you could achieve the same thing in less than half the time with Tostitos Scoops.

Now back to dessert. In previous years, I had a recipe. This year, I just dreamt the creation up with the help of some of my Facebook friends.

It started with donuts and a cake mix. Sure, I considered making both from scratch, but artful cooking isn't really the point of this annual tradition.

(Btw, I'm sure you could make this whole thing gluten and dairy free, but...there's probably a better thing for you to make if that's what you want to do.)

I made the cake batter as directed on the box and then I poured it into my angel food cake pan because I had a stroke of genius: Make the donut-cake IN THE SHAPE OF A DONUT!

I poured the batter in the pan with the intention of standing the donuts up on their sides, but there wasn't enough batter to cover them up that way...

So I shoved the donuts in as so (I fit 5 in there). We debated face up or face down and decided on face down thinking we'd flip the cake out of the pan at the end.

 I had to do some shaking, but the batter eventually covered all the donuts.

I baked it for 45 minutes, as the box said, but the batter above the donuts stayed wet, while the spaces between the donuts started getting crispy...I baked it for another 10 minutes or so before deciding it would be better to risk part of it being soft rather than burning it beyond recognition. It wasn't so pretty.

It got even less pretty when I tipped it out of the pan. The poor cake couldn't really set with all those giant donuts in its way, so it was a bit crumbly. But look! Doke!

I made my own buttercream frosting before we started. Had I not made it ahead of time, I would have skipped it because clearly there was no good way to ice this thing. However, I was still maintaining the hope of making it look like a giant donut, so I decided to try piping it on (despite the fact that it was still too warm).

Ta-da! It's Doke! Melty, lopsided, falling apart doke, but doke nonetheless.

How did it taste? Pretty good, actually. The donuts didn't even appear to notice they had been baked for another 55 minutes and the cake and frosting were yummy. I think a different pan and possibly mini donuts rather than the full-size model could produce a more cohesive (literally) dish.

So happy Superbowl and sugar rush to you! Tomorrow we get back on the moderation wagon.