veggie cooking with julie byrd!

while julie was in town, we had to cook together!  she was, after all, the one who got me cooking.  fiance dinners at harvey lofts, christmas candy parties, & "really gross pasta salad".  thanks, julie byrd!!

to find out what it is my sister eats these days, i took a look at her pinterest food boards.  pinterest really is so fabulous, isn't it?

for our main course, we made black bean burgers with avocado, havarti, & arugula.  {original recipe: HERE}  they were quite tasty.  cilantro & avocado & havarti, i always believe in you.

while paroozing julie's pinterest boards, i came across a most intriguing dish:  roasted grape, goat cheese, & honey stuffed sweet potatoes.  {original recipe: HERE}  this is right up julie's alley.  let's do it!

roasted grape, goat cheese, & honey twice-baked potatoes!

3 sweet potatoes

2 c red seedless grapes

1 tsp canola oil

salt & pepper

4 oz goat cheese, divided

5 green onions, chopped

2 T honey + more for drizzling

pinches of cinnamon & nutmeg & cayenne pepper

1.  poke holes in sweet potatoes with a fork & wrap tightly with aluminum foil.  bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes or until a little bit squishy.  unwrap foil, cut in half, & let cool.

2. spread grapes on a baking sheet & drizzle with canola oil & a pinch of salt & pepper.  toss to coat.  roast at 450 for 20-25 minutes or until the grapes begin to burst in joy.  at this point they will smell & taste a lot like cherries.  who knew you could roast grapes??  remove from oven & let cool.

3. once you can handle holding the sweet potatoes, cut each in half & gently remove the inner potato into a bowl.  remember potato boats??  same idea!  leave a little "boat" of skin & just take out the insides.  add 3 oz goat cheese, spices, green onions, & honey to the potato inners.  mash 'em up.

4. once it tastes delicious, add the potato mixture back to the boats.  if you did this part in advance or let your potato inners cool, this is a good time to warm them back up in the oven.  375 for about 15 minutes or so will do.

5. once the potatoes are deliciously warm, sprinkle the remaining ounce of goat cheese on top.  add the grapes & drizzle with a little honey.  delicious sweet potato boats for you!!  so interesting & so tasty.  even blake liked them.  whoa.

& to finish our meal, we enjoyed my favorite summer savory watermelon salad.  watermelon, cucumber, red onion, sugar, salt & pepper, a little balsamic vinegar & olive oil.  also strange.  also very addicting.

{the boys were a big help}

love love,

kjp.