Busy Hands Homestead

This is my adaptation of the Sweet Potato Salad with Chipotle Chili Recipe found in the cookbook  Best Bite Recipes published by Oklahoma State University Seretean Wellness Center Kitchen.  5 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces toss in oil, spread out on two cookie sheets and roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 - 40 minutes place roasted potatoes in a large bowl and allow to cool while making the dressing 1/4 cup olive oil 2 Tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 Teaspoons cumin 1/2 Teaspoons chili powder 1 diced Chipotle Chili (canned)* 1/4 cup sour cream 1/4 Teaspoon salt (or to taste) Pepper to taste combine the above listed ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together  *if serving this salad to children, I recommend adding the Chipotle pepper after a few servings have been set aside  1/8 cup finely chopped onion 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley pour the dressing over the potatoes, add the onion and parsley and tos...

When I think about the day in 2003 on which I met my husband, I think guacamole. There are many moments in our lives that I remember by the meals we shared. The last meal he cooked for me before I drove to New York for my summer internship in 2006 was Veal Marsala.  The meal that was waiting, sitting on the table, when I returned was a Spaghetti Squash picked up at the Farmer's market that morning. Even rockiest days of our marriage (so far), I will always fondly remember with side by side concocted candied orange peals and chocolate fudge.  The morning after Ivory was born, we pulled apart monkey bread while we stared across the tiny hospital room at that sleeping bundle.  The day after we came home from the hospital with we walked all over Stillwater, Oklahoma in 90 degree weather.  When we walked out of the door that morning we were full of new parent adrenaline and the fact that I had had virtually no sleep the night before seemed to matter litt...

September is flying past.   I am trying to soak up the last few days of summer and the first of fall.  This involves pulling things out of the garden, into my kitchen and preserving food in jars.  I pulled the largest of my second and third planting of beets, (they were so small, sigh, in spite of the watering), scrubbed them, boiled them and pickled them.  I am trying out a few new canning recipes and using a few of my old standbys.    Really, this process should not have taken more than a few hours, but some how it took me all day.  By nighttime four ruby red pint jars stood on my kitchen table. This new recipe only contains half a cup of honey..  although, I will admit, that I am going to make a second batch of pickled beets using my old sugar laden recipe because I don't think the kids will be chowing these down with quite as much enthusiasm.  I picked arm fulls of my blue curly leaf kale.  Running back and fort...

A new take on the California Roll.  Fake crab, cream cheese and roasted beet that bleeds a bright pink into the surrounding sushi rice. YUM!