Baby Roasted Potatoes with Garlic, Rosemary & Sea Salt

Baby potatoes. They are so darn delicious roasted because they get that crisp skin on the outside that leads to a creamy interior.  They are a great accompaniment to anything that you roast in the oven because, well, the oven is already on! So if you are making a roast, pull the roast out to let it rest and put the potatoes in. When the potatoes are done, the roast will be well rested and ready to carve. Alternatively, roast the potatoes at the same time as a chicken, or start them roasting before adding a side of salmon into the oven for the last 15 minutes.

I am always trying to find ways to make meals easier and to utilize appliances that are already working, so these baby roasted potatoes fit the bill. And if you don't have baby potatoes, use the same recipe with quartered regular sized potatoes.

Beer Battered Fish and Chips with Tartar Sauce

Okay, I will admit that I slightly misnamed this post.

It isn't actually beer battered fish and chips. It's beer battered fish with Roasted Baby Potatoes (which are just as yummy and provide a great alternative to chips). Or you could serve it with Baked Sweet Potato Fries. 

Why not regular french fries you ask? Well first of all, with the fish already fried, a healthier side dish might be preferable. But the real reason? It's just plain difficult to perfectly fry fish and potatoes at the same time. And let's face it, if you fry one first, then the other, the first item is surely going to be cold. And who wants to eat cold fried fish or chips?

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

They say that most people have a preference for either salty or sweet. Me, I love salty. So, when I am in the mood for something comforting, I turn to savory favorites. And as a snack, I often think about eating things like crackers, nuts, chips, and fries.

Most of the time, I can let the day go by without succumbing to my desire to eat these kinds of snacks, because I know that some of them aren't the healthiest of choices (i.e. chips and fries). But sometimes, I just can't get them out of my head.

Today was one of those days. I wanted fries. Badly.

So, I decided to turn on the oven and make some baked fries in hopes that they would satisfy this urge. And to make them even healthier (and in my opinion, more delicious), I made them with sweet potatoes. 

Spaghetti and (Turkey) Meatballs

 

Who doesn't love spaghetti and meatballs? It is comforting and delicious, and has some sort of romantic quality (yes, too much time watching Lady and the Tramp....). But seriously, it's a home and restaurant favorite for so many people, including myself.

I love making spaghetti and meatballs. You can pan brown them or bake them, and you can make them traditional or you can spice things up with a variety of flavour combinations. In this case, I made my meatballs with ground turkey and lots of yummy, flavourful ingredients including feta cheese and basil. If you prefer other types of meat, you could use beef or a combination of beef and pork. You can even turn this mixture into a meatloaf (just bake in a loaf pan at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 45 minutes, until the meatloaf is cooked through).

Turkey Meatballs

Makes about 36 meatballs

Meatball Ingredients

1 Small Onion, finely chopped

3 cloves Garlic, minced

1 Large Egg

1/2 cup Bread Crumbs

2 tbsp Ketchup

1 tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 tbsp Dried Basil

1/4 cup Crumbled Feta

Salt and pepper 

500 grams Ground Turkey

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 cups Marinara sauce or Pasta sauce of choice

1/2 cup Water

Cooked Spaghetti

Mix together all meatball ingredients except the turkey. Add the turkey and lightly mix by hand until all is incorporated. Shape into about 1" balls.

Coat the bottom of a large frying pan with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs (you might need to do this in batches). Cook until nicely browned on all sides, 3-4 minutes. Drain off excess oil from the pan. Reduce the heat to medium low.  With all of the browned meatballs in the pan, add the tomato sauce and water.  Simmer until the meatballs are fully cooked, about 5-8 minutes. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with spaghetti or pasta of choice