Chili Lime Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

One of my favorite things to do is to walk through the farmer’s market with no purpose other than looking for the best, most beautiful product. This last week, that is not how my farmer’s market visit went down. Instead, the boys and I all but ran through in the hopes of beating a storm that was quickly rolling in. Dark clouds above us, strong wind gusts blowing in our faces, and a 4 year old who was so scared he needed me to carry him, meant a less than relaxing experience. Still, I managed to snag some beautiful raspberries that were perfect in a fool I made for my sweet sister’s birthday. And then there were these beautiful fingerling potatoes that were begging to be seasoned, roasted, and topped with queso fresco and cilantro.

Turns out, a stormy start to what I was hoping would be a casual, sunny visit to the market made me grab a couple things I wouldn’t normally buy. And if that means recipes that are this delicious, I’ll take it!

Chili Lime Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Serves 4 as a side

• 1 lb fingerling potatoes, washed and cut in half lengthwise

• 2 teaspoons Trader Joe’s Chili Lime Seasoning (or a combination of chili powder, salt, and lime zest)

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil

• 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco

• lots of fresh cilantro

• 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced

• fresh lime juice and lime wedges for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment.

2. Toss potatoes with avocado oil and chili lime seasoning. Spread in a single layer, cut side down, on prepared baking sheet. Roast 25 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

3. Pile potatoes into a large serving bowl and season with additional chili lime seasoning if needed. Top with queso fresco, onion, cilantro, and lime juice. Serve additional lime wedges on the side.

Creamy, Dreamy Miso Mashed Potatoes

Well, we have officially lived in our house for just 2 weeks short of a year. Yes, we still have boxes to unpack. Don't judge me. I tried to make a dent in what is left this afternoon by sorting through stacks of boxes that were hidden away in the garage. A lot of them have been unopened for nearly a decade. They have just been moved from place to place to place without a second thought. Today, I found some treasures that took me on an unexpectedly emotional journey down memory lane. One discovery in particular made me feel especially nostalgic. My mom made a couple of keepsake boxes from two musicals I did in high school. My old costumes were inside, along with programs and posters signed by fellow cast members. It was fun to remember being Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors and singing By My Side in Godspell. Those memories don't surface often enough.

Speaking of memories and nostalgia and all that...can we talk about mashed potatoes? I have deliciously fond memories of mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving as a kid. My mom makes THE BEST mashed potatoes on the planet. True story. As a result, every time I make them now that I'm all grown up, I have her potatoes in mind. They are never exactly the same as mom's, but #lifegoals, right?

These creamy, dreamy miso mashed potatoes come in at a close second place to mom's. No, she doesn't use miso. I guess you could call that my "signature" in this case. They are creamy, rich, and so darned easy you won't even believe it. And before you go to the store to buy an entire container of white miso, check the dark corners of your fridge for that container you bought 6 months ago for that one recipe. I know there are a few of you out there with miso just waiting to be used in something as crowd-pleasing as mashed potatoes!

I used red potatoes with the skins on, but you are more than welcome to peel those babies if you prefer. I also used crispy onions (because, hello, I can't get enough!) but you could just as easily toast some panko bread crumbs and salt in a little butter and sprinkle those over the top instead! I also added a little bit of shichimi togarashi, but if you don't have any, just add some extra black pepper. Looking for a little green color? Toss some chives on top! This is one of those side dishes that will leave your guests wanting more and wondering what it was that made your potatoes so amazing! 

You're welcome. :)

Creamy, Dreamy Miso Mashed Potatoes

Makes 6-8 servings

• 2 lbs red potatoes, scrubbed and halved or quartered
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons white miso paste
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup milk (plus more to adjust texture if necessary)
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon shichimi togarashi plus extra to sprinkle over the top (optional)
• 1/3 cup crispy onions

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover completely with cold water.
2. Bring the water to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and set aside. Return the pot to the stove over medium low heat.
3. Melt the butter with miso paste in the bottom of the pot, stirring constantly with a whisk until the butter and miso are smooth and fully incorporated. Turn off the heat.
4. Add the sour cream to the pot and stir to combine. Add the potatoes and milk to the pot.
5. Use a potato masher to combine all the ingredients until as smooth (or lumpy) as you prefer. Add a touch more milk if needed.
6. Season with salt and pepper. Add the shichimi and stir to combine.
7. Transfer to a serving bowl, top with the onions, and serve!

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

During our 4 years in Japan, we celebrated Thanksgiving with our multicultural group of friends who became our family in Tokyo. For some, Thanksgiving was not a part of their holiday calendar, so we had the unique experience of giving people their first taste (literally) of this holiday. The first year, I attempted to cook everything by myself in a tiny kitchen with no oven. To make it even worse, I wouldn't let anyone help with the dishes after dinner. Instead, I hid all the dirties under the kitchen sink and waited until everyone left to clean up. Rookie mistake.

There was also a situation involving a 20+ pound turkey and a bicycle. More on that at a later date. And if you're lucky, I'll share the video documenting the insane logistics of pulling off a Thanksgiving celebration in Tokyo without an oven or, perhaps more importantly, a car.

One of the dishes I handed off after that first fateful Thanksgiving was cranberry sauce. To be honest, I'm not sure we even had it the first time around. Our friend Danny took on the sauce-responsibility and reminded me that cranberry sauce does not need to look like a congealed metal can mold, complete with ridges and an eery jiggle. Cranberry sauce can in fact be very beautiful and full of wonderfully fresh, complex flavors to offset the heavy, rich offerings Thanksgiving brings.

Danny always put ginger in his cranberry sauce, which I have also done with the recipe sharing today. I kept it pretty simple, adding only whole cloves for spice, a couple strips of orange zest, and a sprig of rosemary. To keep a little bit of Japan present at our table, I added sake as the main liquid. The sake is mild, which is nice because it does not overwhelm or hide the other flavors. Instead, it brings them out even more.

I'm thankful for the Thanksgiving meals we shared with our friends in Japan. The memories we made are always with me, reminding me that there is always a reason to be thankful no matter where you are or who you're with.

So to kick off this week of Thanksgiving recipes, and to give a shout out to our Tokyo family, here is a cranberry sauce recipe that is easy, flavorful and acts as the base for recipes to come on Wednesday and Friday this week. So stay tuned! More to come!

I would recommend reserving some of the liquid just after the sauce is done cooking. I'll be using it in a cocktail later this week that I think you'll enjoy!

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

• 12 oz fresh cranberries
• 1 tablespoon ginger, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 2/3 cup sake
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 rosemary sprig
• 1/4 fresh orange juice plus the orange zest (in strips rather than grated)

Instructions

1. Wrap the cloves, rosemary, and orange zest strips in a piece of cheesecloth tied together with kitchen twine.
2. Combine the cranberries, ginger, sake, sugar, and orange juice in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring to combine.
3. Continue to simmer for about 10 minutes or until the cranberries have burst and begun to shrivel just slightly.
4. Using a spoon, remove about 1/4 cup of the liquid from the saucepan. Store in an airtight container for use in a cocktail (recipe coming Friday)! (optional)
5. Remove the cheesecloth packet and discard.
6. Pour the cranberry sauce into a serving bowl and let it cool to room temperature.
7. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. The sauce can be made and stored up to 3 days ahead.