Weeknight Dinner: Sausage & Sweet Potato Fries

This dinner is one we have A LOT. The reason being that everyone eats all the components and it takes very little time and brain power. So everyone wins. The oven fries feel like a cheat, even though they are not. And the crazy good variety of sausages available these days can bring some variety to this meal.  I serve a salad on the side most nights. Really throw together whatever salad ingredients you like (current fave: arugula, avocado, pepita) and either make your own dressing or grab a bottle. I cut up avocado for the kids, too. 

                     

Ingredients: 

Enough sausage for all the mouths in your house (love a spicy Italian and a sweet chicken sausage right now. Use whatever you like)

Sweet potatoes (about 1 per person)

olive oil

salt and pepper

cornstarch

brown sugar

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Place some foil on three big baking sheets.

Step 2: 

Cut the sweet potatoes into fries. About 1/3 inch thick, but don't torture yourself about it. And place on 2 of the baking sheets. You want some space between each of them, hence the two pans. If you run out of space use an additional pan. Drizzle with some olive oil, again don't torture yourself on measuring. Just enough to coat all of the fries. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, a little brown sugar, and enough cornstarch that each fry gets some. Then toss with your hands so everything gets coated evenly. You cannot screw this up, just make sure to give the fries some space. Put in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes, tossing a couple times in between. They are done when they are browned on the outside and tender on the inside. Then let cool a bit to crisp/firm up. 

Step 3: 

Place the sausage on one of the other baking sheets. For regular sized sausage, roast in the oven for about 30 minutes. Smaller sausages, less time. When they are firm, they are done. You can also grill if you want! Grill over medium high heat until firm, about 20 minutes. 

Serve with salad and enjoy the very limited amount of dishes, hence the foil! 

xo

Erin 

Weeknight Dinner

                      How many nights do you cook dinner? Kind of depends on the week, right? I am at about three to four nights right now. That does not count the nights that I am alone with the kids and we have "snack" dinner (hummus, crackers, fruit, hard eggs, salami, etc.) or I just make some spaghetti and cut up fruit (kind of my fave night). The other nights we are out or get take out. Three to four feels good to me, and that usually gets upped as it gets warmer and its easy throwing burgers on the grill and roasting some sweet potato fries. 

But making dinner can be hard, even for the most seasoned cooks, even when you have planned it way in advance, even if your kids will eat everything (bless you if they do). So no judgment here if you have eaten leftovers all week or have to throw out food in your fridge you were certain you would cook one night. We are all doing it and it is totally fine. 

I am going to try and share more of our simple weeknight meals to hopefully give you some ideas and share timing. You will see these are simply prepared, mostly healthy, and not that adventurous. Because when 5pm rolls around the last thing you want to do is dive into a complicated recipe. That is what Sundays are for. Or your favorite restaurant.  

First up is this meal from last night. 

         

Grilled Flank Steak with Cauliflower Rice and Grilled Asparagus

Ingredients you need: 

Enough Flank Steak to feed all the mouths in your house 

white wine (that old bottle in your fridge is totally fine)

Dijon mustard

garlic

shallot (optional)

olive oil

salt & pepper

1 head of cauliflower

Asparagus (1 bunch for every 2-3 people)

Step 1. 

Marinate the steak: Whisk together 1/3 cup each wine, mustard, and olive oil. Smash a couple garlic cloves and chop up a shallot if using. Add it to the marinade . Using a small knife, score the very top of steak in a pattern like this ###.  Place the steak in a plastic bag, pour the marinade in and seal up attempting to get all the air out. Massage in the marinade and refrigerate. This is enough marinade for up to 2 lbs of steak. If making more, just add more of each ingredient, you cannot really mess it up. You can do this the day before all the way to 20 min before grilling. 

Step 2. 

Make the "Rice" (if you are over fake rice, just grab a couple of those brown rice packs that cook in 90 seconds and season yourself. Do it all the time): Working in batches, add raw cauliflower to a food processor or Vitamix, or whatever you have that blends things. Pulse until the cauliflower magically turns into the size of rice. Place in a bowl and repeat with the rest of the cauliflower. Can be done in advance, just refrigerate. 

Step 3. 

Prep the asparagus: Cut the ends off the asparagus and place in a plastic bag. Add enough olive oil to lightly coat them and season with salt and pepper. Close bag and shake it to make sure everything gets seasoned. Toss in the fridge. 

Step 4. 

Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Take meat out of the fridge.

Step 5. 

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a few slugs of olive oil. Smash two garlic cloves and add to the hot oil, cook for a minute or so, then add the rice. Sauté for fifteens minutes and season with salt and pepper. Remove the garlic before serving. Set aside and keep warm while you make the other food. 

Step 6. 

While the rice cooks, put the steak (throw some salt and pepper on it) and asparagus on the grill. The steak should cook about 5-8 minutes on each side depending on thickness and how you like it cooked. The firmer it gets, the more cooked it gets. The asparagus cooks for about 10-15 minutes and just flip once or twice. It is done the it is tender. Let meat rest on your cutting board for ten minutes. Keep asparagus warm in oven or put some foil on it. 

Step 7. 

Slice the meat in the opposite direction of the grain (those are the lines running across it). Serve up with the rice and asparagus and pour yourself some wine. 

Does that feel doable? Do you like the format I am writing this in? Suggestions more than welcome. And share your results with me! 

xo

Erin 

Note: Flank Steak recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa 

Edamame Hummus

In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day (yes, I realize this was over a month ago), I made some green food to bring to a friend's. Besides rolling up some spinach tortillas and adding a little green food coloring to chocolate chip cookies, I made this easy dip. It took 5 minutes and comes together with ingredients you might already have. Or at least most of them. The edamame gives this hummus a new spin since we have all had the same boring one a billion times. Plus, I am sure there are some health benefits of the edamame, so there's that. 

                  

Edamame Hummus

Imperfect Polish 2016

1 bag of frozen edamame, defrosted 

1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

juice of two lemons

1/2 cup tahini 

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

water and/or olive oil

salt and pepper

Place the first five ingredients in a blender/food processor/bullet/vitamix and process until smooth. Add in some water and/or olive oil to desired consistency (start with a little, process, add more if you need it, repeat until you get to what you like). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be store in the fridge for 5 or so days. 

Enjoy! 

xo

Erin 

Turkey Sausage & White Bean Soup

The kids are kind of getting into soup, which makes me extremely happy since I would eat it every night if possible. The concept of everything mixed together is still a little questionable to them, so I have to admit that sometimes I am fishing out just the stuff they like from some of my favorite soups. Of course I swore I would never do that, but here I am. 

This soup required minimum "sorting" so I call it a winner. And because it is so full of flavor, they missed the fact that they (god forbid) ate an onion piece or two. This soup is easy, a crowd pleaser, and generally healthful. It is best served with a giant heap of Parmesan sprinkled on top (still healthy in my book. ha) and a few dashes of hot sauce if you are into heat. We ate it for dinner one night and I consumed the rest at lunch. Yes, a hot lunch! crazy. 

Turkey Sausage & White Bean Soup

Imperfect Polish 2015

serves 6-8 

olive oil

26oz smoked turkey sausage, like kielbasa, cut lengthwise, then chopped

2 leeks, cleaned and chopped (if leeks freak you out, just use an onion)

3 carrots, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup of white wine

2 - 15oz cans of white beans, like cannellini 

15 oz diced tomatoes

1 1/2 teaspoons of salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

1 teaspoon of chopped fresh rosemary

6 cups chicken stock

1 cup chopped kale (about one small bunch)

juice of half a lemon

Grated Parmesan cheese for serving 

In a large pot, heat about two tablespoons of olive oil at medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the sausage and brown, stirring occasionally until it is all browned a bit. Remove sausage from pot and place in a bowl. 

Add the leek, carrot, and celery to the pot. Sprinkle with just a bit of salt and sauté until starting to soften, about 10 minutes.  Add in the garlic and cook for a minute. Then pour in the wine and scrape up all that browned goodness from the pot and let cook until reduced by about half (about 5 minutes. It needs to boiling, so if that is not happening, turn up the heat a bit). 

Add in the beans, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Stir everything together and let cook a few minutes. Then add in the stock and and sausage, and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 30 minutes. 

Turn off the heat and add in the kale and lemon juice. Stir until kale is just wilted and taste for seasoning. Serve warm with heaping spoonfuls of Parmesan cheese. 

Enjoy! 

xo

Erin 

Cheesy Zucchini Tots

We had monster zucchini from the garden and coming up with all the ways to eat the mountains of it was a challenge. We grilled and drizzled it with balsamic, attempted to make healthier versions of bread with it, cubed and roasted it with olive oil, and most successfully these cheesy zucchini tots. This recipe is all over Pinterest and this recipe is my version after trying a few. It is simple and the only "bad" ingredient being breadcrumbs, you could use a gluten free variety if that is what you are into. Also, you could sub in any cheese that you love that melts well, but sharp cheddar really is the best. These are great as a side or as an appetizer. 

Cheesy Zucchini Tots

Imperfect Polish 2015

makes 4 sides 

1 packed cup of shredded zucchini (you can do this with a box grater or in a food processor with the grater attachment)

1 egg

1/4 cup breadcrumbs, any variety

1/2 teaspoon salt

few cracks of fresh pepper

heaping 1/4 cup of shredded sharp cheddar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Spray a cookie sheet with oil liberally. Set aside. 

Place the zucchini in a couple paper towels and pat out the excess water. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients well. Then add the zucchini and combine using a fork or your hands. Place tablespoon sized round mounds of the mixture on the cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, turning once after 10 minutes. Tots should be golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

To make in advance: Follow all of the recipe to the end. Then just reheat in the oven later. You can also freeze them and reheat in the oven at 350 until heated through, about 20 minutes. 

Enjoy! 

xo

Erin 

Brussels Sprout & Almond Salad

Life has gotten busy. And unfortunately this little blog suffers first.

  Work has picked up, with closings and new clients. The season truly has brought out the buyers and people are ready for fresh starts in new homes. Lucky me. 

And then there are the little people. I thought I was busy when they were babies, but toddlers require much more attention (I basically walk around with four arms wrapped around my two legs). And with nap time disappearing with one of them (in serious mourning), the days longer. 

SO, free time for writing, reading a magazine, and watching garbage has gotten harder. And I hate to say that plowing through a Vogue in my half hour of "quiet time" with a diet coke feels really great. 

I have still been putting cooking on my priority list, so that gives me something to share with you besides great ways to entertain toddlers (combine this & this for hours of fun) and this salad is a real winner. Just a few ingredients with plenty of crunch and the perfect side for outdoor BBQs. 

Brussels Sprout & Toasted Almond Salad
Imperfect Polish 2015
serves 4

1/2 cup almonds chopped, slivered or sliced (marcona are best if you have them)
1/3 cup light mayo
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil 
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, stems removed and thinly sliced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt & pepper

Scatter almonds on a pan over medium heat on the stove. Toast, tossing every minute or so, until lightly toasted on all sides. Remove from heat and let almonds cool on a plate. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, mustard, honey, and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste and whisk in the oil slowly until combined. Taste and adjust for seasoning. 

In a large salad bowl, add the Brussels sprouts, almonds, and cheese. Dress with desired amount of vinaigrette (you may have more than you need, use on any other salad that week) and toss to coat. 

Enjoy! 
xo
Erin 

Leftover Oatmeal Muffins

Oatmeal seemed like such an easy breakfast for the kids to love. I grabbed the organic steel cut oats from the store thinking #momoftheyear! I made them on the stove after they woke up, drizzled it with agave nectar and cinnamon, then served up waiting for giant smiles of excitement from the deliciousness. 

Which never happened. Instead they were over it and only requested more syrup (lots), which completely negates the entire point of this breakfast. So with a few cups of already cooked oatmeal going to waste I decided to go the baked good route. This recipe uses very few ingredients and has very little sugar. My son thinks everything in muffin form is a cupcake, so we added a couple of sprinkles on top. The muffins are super moist and hearty. They also come together in under ten minutes. See below if you do not have leftover oatmeal, you can use quick cook oats too. 

Oatmeal Muffins 

Imperfect Polish 2015

Makes one dozen muffins 

2 cups cooked oatmeal - or - soak 1 cup of oats in 1 cup of milk for 15 minutes
1 egg
1/4 cup oil 
1/4 brown sugar
1 cup while wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Using a standing mixer or hand mixer, beat egg, oil, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Then mix in the oats. 

Combine all of remaining ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to the wet ingredients. Mix well until combined. 

Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and fill each cup about 2/3 full. Bake at 425 for 18-22 minutes. You can check when toothpick comes clean out of one of the muffins. 

Enjoy! 
xo
Erin  

Summer Line Up

 

I have such a love hate relationship with the sun. There is nothing better than its warm soft rays on bare skin in these summer months, but the lines in my face and the spots on my arms remind me of its ugly side. With not a lot of time each morning, I need easy products to moisturizer, cover and correct easily. Here is my morning routine. 

1. Splash face with cold water. I heard about this from Giada and she looks pretty damn good. 

2. I mix a couple of drops of Vitamin C serum with Kate Sommerville Serum Sunscreen and slather on. This is the lightest, non-greasy sunscreen I have tried. I add a little more Vitamin C because why not? (the Sommerville serum can be hard to find, this Super Goop option is a good one too)

3. Dab on a little Kinerase C8 Peptide Under Eye Treatment. This can be used day and night and seems to have tightened things up a bit. 

4. I squirt one pump of Make Up For Ever HD Foundation into a scoop of Algenist Regenerative Anti-Aging Moisturizer. It gives me just enough coverage to not have to wear anything else and keeps my skin moisturized all day without being oily. The Algenist was a great find I was talked into by a woman at Sephora, I am on my second pot which says a lot because of my product hoarding problem. 

If I am lucky, I have time for my 3 minute make up routine, but most days I skip that. Feeling a bit more confident in my skin these days since the hormonal acne has calmed down after babies and these products seem to actually be doing the work they claim to do. Shocking. ha 

What do you swear by in the summer? Would love to hear. 

xo

Erin 

Slow Cooker Flank Steak Tacos

I have been making a lot of tacos lately because I can make the meat in advance, do some chopping and make a Mexican slaw during nap time, and dinner is easy breezy come 5:30. Yep, we are on the "let's eat before bedtime train" over here. This recipe using the slow cooker is so easy. No browning beforehand, no laundry list of steps, and not a huge amount of ingredients. This meat is delicious. So juicy and tender when it comes out and perfect after a long day. Just add a margarita and you are set. 

Slow Cooker Flank Steak Tacos
serves 4-6
From: Eat Live Run

Ingredients:

2 lbs flank steak

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

for spice rub---

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

for serving---

corn tortillas

avocado slices

cilantro

your favorite salsa

limes

Directions:

Mix together all spices in a small bowl. Rub the spices all over your flank steak---be generous here! Then, place your steak at the bottom of your crock pot.

Cover the steak with the chopped onions, bell peppers and jalapeno pepper. Turn heat on LOW and cook for 8 hours.

After 8 hours, remove meat from crock pot and shred with a fork. It should be incredibly easy to shred. You can either stick the shredded meat back in the pot for another hour or serve as is.

To serve, heat your corn tortillas in a skillet on the stove. Spoon some carnitas on a tortilla then top with salsa, avocado, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Slow Cooker Carnitas

My slow cooker has not been getting a lot of use this summer. It is hard to find recipes that are not heavy when using it. But there is one dish that runs all year round to everyone's delight, tacos. I am all about easy dinners that taste like you slaved. These carnitas are in the slow cooker in fifteen minutes and at the end of the day you have tender, flavorful meat to pile onto tortillas with your favorite toppings. 

Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork)
Skinny Taste

Servings: 8 

Ingredients: 

• 2.5 lb pork shoulder blade roast, lean
• 6 cloves garlic, cut into sliver
• cumin
• dry adobo seasoning (I used Goya)
• garlic powder
• 3/4 cup 99% fat free chicken broth
• 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (to taste, I take the seeds out)
• 2 bay leaves

Directions:

Season pork with salt and pepper. In a medium sauté pan on 

medium-high heat,brown pork on all sides for about 10 

minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Using a sharp knife, insert blade into pork, cutting small 

holes and insert garlic slivers. Season pork generously with

 cumin, adobo and garlic powder all over.

Pour chicken broth in the crockpot, add bay leaves and 

chipotle peppers. Place pork in crock pot and cover. Cook low 

for 8 hours. After 8 hours, shred pork using two forks and

 combine well with the juices that accumalated at the bottom. 

Remove bay leaves and adjust salt and cumin (you will 

probably need to add more). Let it cook another 15-30 

minutes.

Serve warm with tortillas, fresh chopped cilantro, avocado,

lime and all your favorite toppings. 

Enjoy! 

xo

Erin 

Grilled Artichokes

Artichokes are on top of my favorite food list. Though a little scary to look at and imagine how to prepare, it could not be easier. I showed you how to trim, steam, and simply enjoy in this post, but now I have taken it a step further and grilled them. 


Follow the same steps (rubbing with lemon along the way), but leave the stem. I like to trim off a few of the bottom leaves and run a knife along the stem to get to the more tender parts, but it is not necessary. 


Then cut the artichoke in half. With a spoon or melon baller, scoop out the choke (hairy looking part) and the purple leaves. 


Steam the artichokes until just tender 20-30 minutes depending on how big they are. 


Heat a grill to medium-high heat. Brush the artichokes with olive oil and minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper. 


Grill indirectly uncut side down for 10 minutes. Then flip and grill another ten minutes directly on the heat. 


You can serve them warm or at room temperature. So making them ahead for a party is perfect. I like to  serve with a mayo based sauce. Here are my two favorite: 


Whisk together light mayo, lemon juice, minced shallot, and some Dijon mustard to taste. Season with salt and pepper. 


or


Whisk together light mayo, lime juice, minced garlic, sriracha, soy sauce and toasted sesame oil to taste. 


Love this recipe and it can wow your guests without much work. 


xo
Erin