Hot Sweet Potato Wedges with Jerk Butter

Jan 4, 2013 by

Happy first Friday of 2013! I hope everyone is off to a great start and is recovering from the holiday festivities and food fest. I’m gearing up and getting ready for the routine which no doubt will kick in on Sunday. Sunday is cooking day. For years now, unless something comes up and I have to shuffle things around, Sunday is the day that I cook a few items for the first part of the week. I like that I can eat some now, and freeze the rest for later if necessary. This works best for things like meat and rice dishes. Another reason why I cook multiple dishes, is because I need a different item that my husband can take to lunch. It’s no fun eating the same thing for lunch as you did for dinner. So I make sure he has options.

The one thing I like doing, and really don’t do enough, is side dishes. This could be a salad, or a bread, or just something nice to compliment a meal. Let’s start doing more sides shall we? Today is as good as any. So why not. I will keep it as figure friendly as possible. After all, I’m sure I’m not the only one that has to do damage control after December 🙂

 

Hot Sweet Potato Wedges with Jerk Butter

Hot Sweet Potato Wedges with Jerk Butter

 

 
Ingredients
  • 2 large Sweet Potatoes (peeled, cut into wedges about 2 inches in length, ½ inch in width)
  • 5 Tbsp Sunflower Oil
  • 3 Tbsp Soft Brown Sugar
  • The juice from 2 limes
  • ***
  • Jerk Butter:
  • 4 Tbsp Butter, softened
  • 1½ Tsp Allspice
  • ½ Tsp Ginger
  • ½ Tsp Cayenne
  • 1½ Tsp Black Pepper
  • ½ Tsp Cinnamon
  • Leaves from 2 sprigs of Thyme
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 Tsp Brown Sugar
  • A Pinch of Salt
  • Juice from ½ a lime
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F (Roast)
  2. In a small bowl, combine sunflower oil, brown sugar, and lime juice. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper (to taste).
  3. Add sweet potato, tossing to coat them in the mixture
  4. Place the sweet potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet, ensuring that the slices do not overlap
  5. Roast until tender about 20 minutes, turning them over half way through
  6. For the Jerk Butter:
  7. Combine all the ingredients. When the sweet potatoes are ready and warm, toss in a little of the jerk butter. Serve as a dip at room temperature

 

I thought this was going to be really spicy. But it wasn’t. It was quite pleasant. I loved how the sugar and lime complimented the sweetness of the potatoes. It was something quite delicious… I can see myself having this with a simple roast chicken and a salad. The chicken could even be, roasting along side the sweet potatoes. How easy is that for dinner in an hour?

 

Hot Sweet Potato Wedges with Jerk Butter

Hot Sweet Potato Wedges with Jerk Butter

 

As you can see, it’s not a lot of butter. So it can easily  be shared as a dip.

 

Hot Sweet Potato Wedges with Jerk Butter

Hot Sweet Potato Wedges with Jerk Butter

 

I’m thinking I’ll be doing some more sweet potato dishes since I love it so much.

Happy Friday, friends!

 

~Lyn

 

 

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Top 12 Recipes of 2012 – What a great year!

Dec 31, 2012 by

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, spent with family and friends. I took the week off to do my last-minute running around, making sorrel, baking cakes, doing some light housework, spent a day out of town… the family was quite busy. I even surprised myself when I realized that I had not physically been on the computer for 3 whole days. This type of scenario does not happen often. But it was all for a good cause, seeing as it was the most wonderful time of the year.

Well, it’s the end of 2012 and as I reflect, I know very well that I have much to be thankful for. I’m satisfied with my accomplishments in blogging and I’m ready for what 2013 has to offer. Bring it on! There’s so much more to be done! I feel like making some changes at The Lovely Pantry. I’m still tossing some ideas around in my head so I’m not 100% sure what I’ll be doing. Growth is a wonderful thing.

I don’t do resolutions anymore. If I really want to accomplish something, I will just do it. It’s just a matter of timing and priority. There are a few recipes that I plan to conquer in the new year. I’m creating a list of things I want to learn, both in and outside of the kitchen. As a life long learner, I don’t feel comfortable if I’m not growing in some way or the other. Looking at my posts throughout 2012, I see lots of growth. I see improvement in my photography and in the types of recipes that I’ve challenged myself with.

 

Lets take a look at what had people’s attention. Here are the top 12 posts for 2012 at The Lovely Pantry!

 

 

Top Recipes 2012 - The Lovely Pantry

Top Recipes 2012 – The Lovely Pantry

 

 

The top 3 posts:

Cristina Ferrare’s Fall Off The Bone Chicken Thighs

This is my most popular post to date!

Fall Off The Bone Chicken Thighs, Recipe by Cristina Ferrare

Fall Off The Bone Chicken Thighs, Recipe by Cristina Ferrare

 

Hoisin Salmon with Quinoa & Zucchini

Everyone seemed to enjoy my very easy freestyle salmon. It went nuts on Pinterest!

Hoisin Salmon with Quinoa & Zucchini

Hoisin Salmon with Quinoa & Zucchini

 

Whole Wheat French Toast

I guess it must be true when folks say “simple is best”. This post has always been popular, ever since it was published in February 2012.

Whole Wheat French Toast

Whole Wheat French Toast

 

The remaining posts are in no particular order.

 

Polenta, Parmesan, Mozzarella and Tomato

Polenta, Mozzarella, Tomato

Polenta, Mozzarella, Tomato

 

Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup

Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup

Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup

 

Bavarian Apple Torte

Bavarian Apple Torte

Bavarian Apple Torte

 

Jamaican Cornmeal Pudding

Cornmeal Pudding with Rum, Raisins and French Vanilla Ice Cream

Cornmeal Pudding with Rum, Raisins and French Vanilla Ice Cream

 

Black Bean Soup With Hot Roast Pepper Sauce

Black Bean Soup with Hot Roast Pepper Cream

Black Bean Soup with Hot Roast Pepper Cream

 

Grilled Polenta Cakes

Grilled Polenta Cakes

Grilled Polenta Cakes

 

Jamaican Sorrel

Jamaican Sorrel

Jamaican Sorrel

 

 Banana Coconut Coffee Cake with Macadamia Nut Streusel

Banana Coconut Coffee Cake With Macadamia Nut Streusel

Banana Coconut Coffee Cake With Macadamia Nut Streusel

 

Jamaican Christmas Pudding

Jamaican Christmas Pudding with Hot Wine Sauce

Jamaican Christmas Pudding with Hot Wine Sauce

 

I want to say a very special thanks to the #SundaySupper family. It feels good to be a part of such an incredible group of people who share a common cause – to get families together to enjoy a home cooked meal on a Sunday. It could be on any day of the week, as long as it is possible. Sharing ideas for meals for your family is what I enjoy doing, and I spend a lot of time sharing on Twitter and Pinterest. Congratulations Isabel, for your amazing success! I can’t wait to see what 2013 has in store for #SundaySupper!

 I really love my little blog. I’m quite fond of the wonderful people and communities I’ve joined along this journey.

I want to thank each and every one of you who read/comment on my posts.It means so much to me.

To the friends that have made recipe suggestions and offered advice with regards to technique/instructions, I thank you!

For those that have suggested The Lovely Pantry to friends/family who are looking for meal ideas, have an interest in Jamaican cuisine, or who are just wanting to know how to use a certain ingredient… I appreciate you!

Consider joining me on Facebook and Twitter to keep up whats new on TLP, or just stop by to say hello.

 Have a blessed and wonderful New Year!

Happy 2013

~Lyn

 

 

 

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Roast Pumpkin and Ricotta Crostini

Dec 19, 2012 by

I’ve been fluttering in my cookbooks again. It’s a wonderful way to spend a few borrowed minutes, just to browse and find your next victory. The problem is, there are so many recipes I want to try, and very little time to try them all. I will continue to compete with my family’s schedule and create wonderfully tasting food – even if it’s just for me 🙂 Today, that’s not the case. This dish is great for a light snack  or even as an appetizer. You decide! It’s always a good idea to serve vegetables in a nice way, especially during the holiday season.

I love bread. Usually most breads will appeal to me if its crusty on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside. Toasted with butter and some other condiment will also do the trick. I have fond memories of having French Bread as a child growing up in England. It was something that we enjoyed served with a soup or just whenever we felt like having it.

This recipe was adapted from “Cooking Season by Season” – I basically cut the recipe in half to suit my household.

 

Roasted Pumpkin & Ricotta Crostini

 

 

 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Ingredients
  • 8 oz Pumpkin, peeled seeded and cut into chunks
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 Clove Garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice + the zest of ½ a lemon
  • 7 Tbsp Light Ricotta Cheese
  • 1 Tsp Dried Rosemary
  • 1 Tsp Fresh Thyme Leaves
  • Crostini:
  • 8 Slices Crusty Baguette
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • Salt + Pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F
  2. Brush a foil lined baking sheet with olive oil.
  3. Lay baguette slices on the foil and then brush the top with olive oil
  4. lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper
  5. Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown
  6. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack
  7. In a bowl, toss the pumpkin chunks with oil, garlic, lemon zest and rosemary
  8. Season with salt and pepper then roast for 35 minutes until tender and golden
  9. Remove from oven and allow to cool
  10. In a small bowl, combine ricotta, thyme and lemon juice
  11. Add about a tablespoonful of ricotta on each crostini and top with a few chunks of roasted pumpkin, pressing down a little into the ricotta
  12. Serve and enjoy

 

How do you dress up your fall/winter vegetables? I love roasting root veggies. It keeps it simple and tasty.

 

Roasted Pumpkin & Ricotta Crostini-2

Roasted Pumpkin & Ricotta Crostini

 

Enjoy!

~Lyn

 

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Jamaican Sorrel for #SundaySupper

Dec 16, 2012 by

There is always something new going on in my kitchen.  This beverage is a big deal…to the husband. Sorrel is a drink he loves and until now, he had to depend on someone giving it to us as a gift or going to Jamaica to have the real authentic drink. Sorrel is a popular beverage to have during the Christmas season. I’ll confess ~ I never really liked sorrel. Give me some other tropical drink. Give me soursop juice, carrot juice or fruit punch. Just not sorrel. Well, it seems that my taste is changing. I don’t know what I was thinking. Sorrel is amazing! Around this time of year in Jamaica, most households, family gatherings or formal gatherings will have Sorrel in their selection of beverages.

Today’s #SundaySupper theme is Holiday Drinks and Appetizers and our host is Connie from The Foodie Army Wife. A big shout out to my Bestie for giving me “The Real Taste Of Jamaica” by Enid Donaldson! It’s getting good use! I was happy to have it so I could share this recipe today. Please be sure to check out the other beverages and appetizers brought to you by the #SundaySupper family. You’ll need ideas if you are hosting or attending a holiday gathering.

Everyone that I’ve asked makes sorrel a little differently. Some people add a little wine to it. Some add a “little” White Rum, which is true in most cases. I didn’t do too much adapting but I plan to tweak it a bit more on the next round. I’ll add more ginger and just a little less sugar. This was a bit sweet for me but easily rectified by diluting it and adding ice. Sorrel is best served ice-cold. For my household, I omitted the rum because I wanted to be able to drink it at any time during the day, and also I wanted my children to be able to taste it. My children drank it several times, and that truly made me happy.

 

Jamaican Sorrel-9

Jamaican Sorrel

 

 

Jamaican Sorrel

A traditional Jamaican Beverage for the Christmas Holiday Season

Ingredients

  • 3 Cups Dried Sorrel
  • 1 inch Root Ginger, shredded
  • 12 Whole Cloves
  • 5 Pimento Leaves
  • 6 Cinnamon Leaves
  • 12 Cups Boiling Water
  • 2 Cups Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Freshly squeezed Lime Juice
  • 1 Tbsp Rice

Instructions

  1. Rinse the Sorrel sepals in a strainer under cold water for just a few minutes
  2. In a very large pot, add sorrel, ginger, rice grains, cloves pimento leaves and cinnamon leaves
  3. Pour boiling water over the contents of the pot and cover for 24 hours
  4. Strain the liquid into another large pot and add sugar and lime juice
  5. Stir to combine
  6. Transfer into bottles and chill
  7. Serve ice cold

Notes

This yields just over 2 litres of sorrel (optional) 1/4 Cups White Rum can be added to the pot after the sorrel has been strained and sweetened

https://lovelypantry.com/2012/12/jamaican-sorrel-for-sundaysupper/

 

So some of you may be wondering…”What is Sorrel?”. Jamaican Sorrel is a type of Hibiscus plant (Hibiscus Sabdariffa). The sepals are used either fresh or dried to make a refreshing cold beverage or a hot tea. Sorrel can also be used to make Jams and Jellies. Sorrel is seasonal and is ready around December-January, making it the perfect holiday beverage.

 

Jamaican Sorrel Collage

 

This is a very important step. Steeping the Sorrel for at least 24 hours allows for a very rich, full-bodied liquid. I allowed mine to steep a little longer. I love all the natural ingredients that make up this drink. If unsweetened Sorrel wasn’t so extremely sour, I’d omit/reduce the sugar. But the sugar is a very necessary component. Substitutions will ruin this drink.

 

Jamaican Sorrel-7

Sorrel

 

Once strained, sweetened and chilled – Sorrel is ready to be enjoyed!

 

Jamaican Sorrel-21

Jamaican Sorrel

 

 

The perfect glass of Sorrel …

 

Jamaican Sorrel-11

Jamaican Sorrel

 

 

Sorrel is an excellent gift. It can be made with or without alcohol – either way, it is extremely enjoyable. It can also be kept in the fridge for a long period of time! Especially with the addition of rum as a preservative.

 

 

Jamaican Sorrel-16

Jamaican Sorrel – Gift

 

 

Holiday Cocktails

 

Holiday Appetizers or Hors d’oeuvres

 

 

Do you have a favorite dish or beverage to take to a party?  Please join on us on Twitter throughout the day during#SundaySupper on December 16th.  

We’d also love to feature your recipe for holiday parties on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board to share them with all of our followers, too.

** Due to the tragic events in Newtown, Connecticut, we will not be having a live chat this Sunday December 16, 2012. Our hearts and prayers go out to the souls lost and the affected families. **

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Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup for #SundaySupper

Oct 7, 2012 by

Its Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada and my family and I are having a great time celebrating family, birthdays and friendships. We have so much to be thankful for!

Earlier this week while I was preparing for the weekend meals, I picked up some pumpkin…without knowing what I was going to make with it. I came across this recipe and I was sold! I don’t make soup very often but I surprised myself with this one. It was simple, awesome and perfect for #SundaySupper. This weeks #SundaySupper theme is All Things Orange, showcasing some wonderful Autumn recipes from some of our fabulous food bloggers. Look out for a wonderful selection of recipes using ingredients like pumpkin, sweet potatoes and butternut squash, to name a few. I’m so excited to see all the wonderful creations! This is my first season actually cooking with pumpkin so I know I’m going to be inspired. This is truly my favourite season!

This weeks host is Pam from The Meltaways! As always, please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day for #SundaySupper. We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 pm EST for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat where we’ll talk about our favourite recipes featuring our favourite fall colour. All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat. We’d also love to feature your recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers, too.

I hope my Mother is reading this post. She will be pleasantly surprised to know that I actually cut up and roasted pumpkin. *gasp* Ok so I didn’t do all the work. I bought a piece of pumpkin weighing about a kilogram. I removed the skin, chopped it into cubes, then roasted it. Originally, I was going to use the canned pumpkin puree but I really wanted to cook with the real thing. It may have taken me a few minutes longer to prepare, but I believe it was worth it. The flavour says it all!

 

Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup

 

5.0 from 1 reviews
Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup for #SundaySupper
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A healthy soup that's comforting, filling and dairy free. A perfect starter or main.
Author:
Recipe type: Soup, Starter, Main
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
  • 1 Medium Onion, diced
  • ½ Tsp Cinnamon
  • ½ Tsp chilli powder
  • ½ Tsp cumin
  • ½ Tsp nutmeg
  • ½ Tsp thyme
  • 3 Cups Low Sodium chicken Broth (or vegetable broth)
  • 3 Cups Pumpkin Puree (I chose to roast 1Kg/2LB of pumpkin)
  • 1 Cup coconut milk
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a rimmed baking sheet, add diced pumpkin and sprinkle with olive oil
  2. Roast for 40 minutes in a 375F oven
  3. In a medium saucepan, heat oil on medium high heat
  4. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes
  5. Add spices and cook for about a minute, stirring until combined
  6. Add broth and pumpkin, combine using an immersion blender until a smooth consistency is achieved (about a minute)
  7. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for about 10-15 minutes
  8. Stir in coconut milk and season with salt and pepper
  9. Remove from heat. Serve with warm, buttered crusty bread
Notes
Recipe adapted from The Best Of Clean Eating 2, Page 93

 

I picked up this piece of pumpkin at the Asian supermarket. It happened to be labelled “Jamaican Pumpkin” so that I would pick it up. I prefer buying pumpkin pre-cut anyway. Less chance of me wasting it. This portion was just right for what I needed it for.

Jamaican Pumpkin

 

I liked the simplicity of this recipe. I loved the use of coconut oil as well as coconut milk. This soup is just bursting with goodness. I really missed the presence of chicken or even yellow yams and dumplings in my soup. Perhaps that addition will be made after my next visit to the Asian supermarket.

 

Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup

 

This could be the perfect appetizer for an Autumn dinner, and a great choice for entertaining.

 

Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup

 

A warm crusty bread, like Ciabatta is a lovely compliment to this soup.

 

Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup with Ciabatta Bread

 

 

Here’s the lineup for this weeks #SundaySupper:

 

Sunrise  (Breakfast and Brunch)

 

High Noon (Soups, Salads and Sandwiches)

 

Sunset (Dinner and Main Dishes)

 

By The Bonfire (Sweets, Snacks and Sips)

 

 

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Grilled Polenta Cakes for #SundaySupper

Sep 30, 2012 by

Here we are again, another #SundaySupper. Can you believe that September is over already? Where does the time go!? Soon enough, we’ll be Thanksgiving, Trick-Or-Treat-ing, Tree decorating then Mistletoe-ing 🙂 I really do enjoy the fall season ~ the beautiful colours, the food, and the change in fashion. There’s just so much to appreciate.

Back in May, I shared a recipe by Cristina Ferrare for #SundaySupper. The recipe was called Fall Off The Bone Chicken and my family enjoyed every bite. The theme for that Sunday, was to prepare a recipe from Cristina’s cookbook called Big Bowl Of Love. I really enjoy her recipes and there were a few that I wanted to try. This recipe fits very well with todays #SundaySupper theme which is “Meals with five ingredients or less”. Our fabulous host is Amber of Mama’s Blissful Bites! We will be sharing recipes all day, but please do join us during our #SundaySupper Twitter chat at 7pm EST. Join the fun and share your favourite recipes and get meal ideas and inspiration while you’re at it! Whether you’re on a budget, want to use up some pantry items, or just need to whip up something quickly~ you’ll have a wonderful list of ideas to consider from our lineup this week!

 

Grilled Polenta Cakes

 

5.0 from 2 reviews
Grilled Polenta Cakes
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Polenta, Tomato Sauce & Spinach!
Author:
Recipe type: Starter, Appetizer, Snack
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 tube polenta, removed from casing, cut into ½-inch slices, and patted dry with paper towels
  • Approximately ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 cup Garlic & Herb Tomato Sauce (Or a tomato sauce of your choice)
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup baby spinach (a generous handful)
Instructions
  1. Brush both sides of the polenta cakes with the olive oil, and set aside.
  2. On a hot griddle pan, place the polenta slices in one layer on the pan
  3. Grill for 10-12 minutes on each side or until both sides are golden and have grill marks
  4. Remove the slices from the grill and let cool on a baking rack
  5. In a small saucepan, add tomato sauce and bring to a gentle boil
  6. Add the spinach and stir until combined and warmed through
  7. Just before you are ready to serve, preheat the oven to 350°F
  8. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray
  9. Arrange the grilled polenta cakes on the baking sheet
  10. Place a heaping tablespoon of the tomato sauce with spinach on each slice, then add a pinch of parmesan cheese on top
  11. Bake for about 15 minutes
  12. Garnish with fresh parsley, salt & pepper to taste
  13. Serve and enjoy
Notes
Adapted from - Page(s): 55-55, Cristina Ferrare's Big Bowl of Love (Delight Family and Friends with More than 150 Simple, Fabulous Recipes) by Cristina Ferrare

 

This recipe is really simple and easy – my favourite kind. I was interested in this recipe because I have always made polenta from scratch. This would be the first time that I would be buying ready-made polenta. It certainly was easier! I won’t make this a habit but at least I’ll be able to compare and know the difference. All I really needed was polenta, tomato sauce, spinach and parmesan cheese. I think this makes a great appetizer, side dish or a very tasty snack!

 

Grilled Polenta Cakes

 

 

Grilled Polenta Cakes – Grilled Polenta, Tomato Sauce with Spinach & Parmesan Cheese

 

Here’s the lineup for todays #SundaySupper:

Breakfast, Starters, Butters and Jams:

Main Dishes:

Desserts:

Beverages:

 

 

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