Sweet and Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I started out to make Rachel's Balsamic and Molasses Sweet Potatoes, but I couldn't find the HUGE bottle of balsamic that Robert brought back from Costco not two weeks ago. I looked everywhere. I remember thinking that the bottle wouldn't fit on the normal vinegar shelf, and I remember thinking "I'll have to put it somewhere I can find it and access it easily." Well, clearly I failed at that. Because I've looked everywhere but the linen closet (is it maybe in the linen closet???) and I can't find it. I'm sure I'll find it when I DON'T need it.

So I made something kind of wacky but based on the same thing. I'll tell you if it's good or not when they come out.

Peel and cube (about 1 inch cubes) four sweet potatoes. Chop up about 4 tbs of our fresh rosemary and simmer it in olive oil with some dried sage (about a teaspoon.) Add about 1/4 cup of molasses and plenty of salt and pepper. Suddenly realize that you can't find your balsamic vinegar and let that cook while you run around looking everywhere but the linen closet. Give up. Add 1/4 cup fresh lime juice and some cayenne (about 1/2 tsp) and about 1/2 tsp of hot pepper flakes. Decide "fuck it, I'm going for the sweet/hot caribbean thing" and add a couple dashes of habanero hot sauce and about 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Get annoyed at your husband for not helping you look for the damn vinegar after you made him a super yummy dinner and did two loads of laundry and put the baby to bed and put all the groceries away and also cleaned every damn thing up yourself, and then he got annoyed at you because you ask him to pause the Ramones documentary for a minute while you finish up the potatoes. Toss the potatoes in the bizarre marinade and put in a 400 degree oven on a jelly roll pan (with a silpat - have you thought of that trick yet? Makes the cleanup after roasting much easier!) and cook for a while. (20-40 minutes depending on how you like your roasted potatoes.)

I'll let you know how it goes.

On the other hand: made The Best Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing in the Whole Wide World.

Bag of washed spinach (I'm lazy, what can I say)
2 hardboiled eggs
2-4 slices of bacon, plus drippings from same (don't EVER throw away bacon drippings!)
1/4-1/2 red onion, sliced thin
3 tbs apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tbs sugar
1 tbs water
salt and pepper

Fry the bacon over med-low heat until crisp. Dice the eggs and toss with the onions and spinach. Chop the bacon and sprinkle over the salad. Put the drippings in a microwave-safe measuring cup and add the vinegar, sugar, water, salt and pepper. Cook for about 1 minute on high, until boiling. Pour over salad while still hot (to slightly wilt the leaves) and toss. Eat with relish. Make sure to turn the bowl up to get the last dribble of that yummy dressing. Then email me and tell me how fucking awesome it is.

(Tammy, I'm looking at you - your regime of salad doesn't have to be low-cal unless you want it to!) (Also, the original called for thinly sliced radishes - we didn't have any that weren't wilty and icky, but if you get them in your CSA box throw them in!!)

Also made Alton Brown's yummy skirt steak.