Fall-ing in Love with Hash

• Sweet Potato, Bacon and Apple Hash
• Anne Burrell, Food Network
• 2 garnet yams, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• 4 to 6 slices thick cut bacon, cut into lardons ( I used Turkey Bacon)
• 1 large onion, cut in 1/2-inch dice
• 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 4 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup green pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted (I did not use these)

This fall-flavored hash is so good! The combination of the semi-crisp and tart apple bits merge in your mouth with the caramelized sweet potato and the saltiness of the bacon converges with the sweet soft onion. You will surely fall in love with this fall hash, it defiantly leaves you wanting more!

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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, add the sweet potatoes, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, to taste. Toss to coat and arrange them on a baking sheet. Roast the sweet potatoes until they are soft but not mushy, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and reserve.

Coat a large saute pan with olive oil. Add the bacon and put the pan over medium heat. When the bacon has started to get crispy and brown, add the onions, season with salt and saute until the onions are very soft and aromatic. Add the apples and the scallion whites and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the sweet potatoes, and saute until the sweet potatoes are cooked through and starting to become crispy, about 7 to 8 minutes.

Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with the scallion greens and pumpkin seeds.

Weight Watchers: Aprox 1/2 cup equals 7 points with the Turkey Bacon

A Quick and Easy Dinner and Packing for Nantucket

Photo from my dad,   Nantucket

This week has seriously flown by... I can't believe it. It seems that everyday lasts so long, but in the blink of an eye, the week has come to an end. I have had a busy week, but all will change on Friday.  

 My brother and I are meeting up in Chicago on Thursday and on Friday we are flying out to meet my parents in Nantucket.  Everyone else has been out to Nantucket, except me.  I am always working or whatever, but this will be the first year everyone will be on the beach together, at least for a few days. Hopefully, a few days on the beach, fresh seafood and a whole island to get great pictures of... well, everything.  Now, I just have to pack.  Yuck. I hate packing!

So with packing to do and no time for dinner and a dish washer that hasn't been working, for a while; like months on end... I needed a quick, easy dinner that was not going to leave a huge mess for me to clean up. My tiny kitchen already has clean (drying) dishes covering all but 1 small bit of counter and my stove.  What I needed was a one pot wonder!  Well, 1 pot wonders always tend to be 3 or 4 pots, and a pan or two, etc... But this one pot wonder, really is only  2 pots, thats ok with me! 

Fettucine Alfredo
Recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse, Food Network
Episode: Favorite Italian Pasta Sauces


Note:  This recipe is fast and easy with little clean-up. When ever I find a recipe on a sight like Food Network, I look at the comments of people who have already made that recipe. The comments I found that most people thought more cream should be added, 1 cup more that Emeril's recipe, so instead of 1 cup more (equaling 2 cups) I added 1   1/2 cups cream.  Enjoy!


1 pound dried fettucine
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1  1/2 cup heavy cream
1  1/4 cup finely grated parmigano-Reggiano
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced


Cook the fettucine in a pot of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. (When you boil water for pasta, I add between 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons kosher or sea salt. When you taste the water it should taste really salty. Just by salting the water correctly you will add so much more flavor than if you just salted the pasta once it is cooked.) Drain in a colander and stir in a few drops of olive oil, reserving  1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. 


While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in the olive oil to keep the butter from burning.  Slowly add in the cream  and bring to a boil. Cook until sauce has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.  Grate the parmigiano-reggiano and set aside. Pour the 1/4 cup of the pasta water into the pasta and set over medium heat. Slowly mix 1/2 of the cream mixture with the pasta and 1/2 of the cheese. If needed, pour in the remainder of the pasta water with the rest of the cream and cheese.  Slowly mix, gently mix and add in the basil, pepper and salt to taste.  I liked this dish last night, but it is really so much better today. I recommend making this a day ahead. Yum!

P.S. I know the pictures of the pasta don't even come close to show you how good it is and how good it looks. Sorry, white pasta and cheese, not so photogenic.

Nantucket, here I come!