Archive for the ‘food’ Category
Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Prosciutto with Gorgonzola Cheese and Honey
I was out at one of my favorite restaurants a couple months ago and they had a special on the menu that changed my life- Baked dates, stuffed with gorgonzola cheese, wrapped in prosciutto drizzled with honey (you probably guessed that from the title!)
Upon going back to the restaurant and asking for them again I was devastated with the news that they only make them a couple weeks a year! I just couldn’t handle this- There was no way I was going to eat these things 2 weeks a year. I need them at least once a month! You can’t understand until you have tasted them- They are pure heaven! I demanded (politely asked, begged, and pleaded) that the staff give me the recipe. They were kind enough to oblige, and it’s the easiest thing I have ever made… easier than Macaroni and Cheese.
Winco is typically where I get my dates- You can buy them one at a time from the bins and 10 of them costs about $1. Then you get some crumbled gorgonzola cheese, cut the dates open, and stuff em. Get a package of prosciutto, cut the long slices in half, and roll the dates in one slice each. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Remove the dates and drizzle honey on them (or drown them in honey, depending on how sweet you want them). Each of my dates usually gets about 3/4 tablespoon honey on top.
That’s it! I usually recommend cutting them in half with a sharp knife as you eat them because they pack a huge flavor punch and last longer that way. I ate mine while drinking a nicely chilled glass of Pinot Grigio wine. I also bought the wine from Winco. I’ve never made these for someone who didn’t instantly fall in love with me (okay, they actually fell in love with the food…). Enjoy!!
Sweet Potato French Fries made with Olive Oil
No, this isn’t fast food. Those may look like normal fries, but they are far from it. You see, I have a very natural and healthy cooking philosophy. I cook as much from scratch as I possibly can. I also use the most healthy ingredients whenever possible. It takes a certain lazy spirit to, upon getting a craving for french fries, get off ones’ butt and go to the drive through. You are assured three things if you do that- 1) You will be damaging your body with deadly nutrition, 2) you will get fat and ugly, 3) you will spend more money than you should be.
Upon staring at that pile of fries on my plate are you wondering where I get off saying such things? Well, I made those fries! No, they aren’t from a bag of frozen fries from the store either. I got a sweet potato (which is actually healthy for you), cut it up in french fry strips, and put it in a saucepan of hot olive oil. Olive oil is super good for you- You should have at least 1 tablespoon per day. There are many nutrients that are classified as “fat soluble”, meaning your body won’t absorb them if you aren’t eating good fats.
Sweet potato fries are amazing. You can either contrast the sweet fry with salt or you can compliment and deepen the sweetness with a hint of sugar. I initially made them with hamburgers but a couple potato’s make way more fries than I had imagined- So I actually ended up getting 3 meals out of them.
You can take this olive oil frying method further and use it for pretty much anything you normally buy fried. Another favorite is making nachos with freshly fried whole wheat chips. How do you get chips? Easy- You cut tortillas into triangles. It’s not rocket science. Everything you eat at restaurants is made somewhere for dirt cheap with the most unhealthy ingredients to reap the biggest profit. You can flip a switch, make it at home, and realize not only a huge savings from your pocketbook but also your wasteline. Enjoy!