.until further notice.

I want a tart pan.  So so badly.  A pretty pretty silver tart pan with fluted edges.  I wants it.  And then....oh ho, in the words of Dr. Seuss - "Oh the places you'll go".

I haven't actually made or conquered anything new since the success of sweet potato burritos - too many other household-y chores to do.  Also I have cleaned up a couple peanut butter fudge attempts, and every time I get the stove/general kitchen clean I don't want to then go dirty it myself.  I mean I did make jam cookies today (with strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, and cranberry orange centers) but I always feel like those don't count.  I mean, who would count those?  Eh.  But yes, a tart pan.  And, an ice cream maker.  Although this time of year, a tart pan would come in far more handy.  And also a madeleine mold.  And a Japanese mandolin.  And a new tattoo.  And now I feel like I'm starting to sound like Steve Martin in "The Jerk" (which is a classically hilarious movie that everyone should see if only to appreciate it when I make statements like "And that's all I need".
So nothing new at the moment, and probably not until the weekend is over, because I have a long weekend full of gooey eyed customers making kissy faces at each other to deal with.  And I will fully own the term hypocrite, but watching that stuff is like watching a car crash.  You can't look away, but you wish you never looked.  And I am in a relationship with a man that sends me sweet little text messages telling me that I am his angel and the light of his life and wishing me a "Good morning beautiful" every day.  But seriously peeps, be mindful - not everyone can have nor wants to have a significant other.

.i'm just so fresh and clean. and healthy.

I would feel redundant in saying delinquent...but, yeah, I kind of am.

So there has been some goodness happening in my kitchen as of late.  There were peppers stuffed with israeli couscous, tomato sauce, feta and roasted red peppers (so yummy) which allowed the vegetarian roommate to have her first stuffed pepper experience.  The other night in my hormonal upset there were chicken cutlets with picatta sauce.  I am pretty impressed what I can do on the fly while crying for no good reason.  It was buttery and lemony and everything a picatta sauce should be.  But tonight I kind of outdid myself on the vegetarian front.  The vegetarian roommate was home with me this evening, and as we're not often home together at the same time I thought I'd make her dinner.  I had also kind of been wanting to make this for a while, but it was one of those recipes that it would be really silly for me to make for just my self.  Also, it is pretty healthy (exciting bonus!).

Sweet Potato - Black Bean Burritos 

3 med. sweet potatoes (roughly 1.5 lbs)

1 15 oz can black beans

3/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp chili powder

salt to taste

2 tbs lime juice (2 limes)

toppings of your choice

oven to 400 F.  Prick sweet potatoes with fork and place on baking sheet into oven for 1 hour.  Remove sweet potatoes, cut down the middle and scoop out the insides to a secondary bowl.  Mash sweet potatoes and then mix with cumin, coriander, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, lime, and salt.  Fold in black beans.  Lower oven temp to 350.  Place tortillas in a shallow baking dish and fill each with the sweet potato/black bean mixture.  Then add toppings of your choice (in my case it was reduced fat cheddar and cilantro green olive salsa).  Fold up the tortillas with the filling and toppings and bake for 10 min at 350.

This recipe is definitely going into my regular rotation, maybe with a little more citrus or something to make it a little brighter.  Maybe I'll even convince the boyfriend that he likes sweet potatoes (oh, there is definitely one of those around these days - insert dopey grin here).  Having been a vegetarian for several years I recall how difficult it can be to find meals that are tasty and nutritious and don't rely mainly on pasta or cheese.  And not only is this roommate vegetarian but they also have and ulcer which mean the food can't be too crazy spicy.  This makes the outlook for their diet kind of boring.  But I was promised that tonight I totally came through with a tasty, and healthy (only like 550 cal and 5g fat for two burritos) meal.