Rubbed Pork, Mashed Turnips, Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic-Curry Dip, Fennel Green Beans with Feta Cheese

This dinner was kinda different, but very good. You don't hear a lot about turnips, and I don't know why that is. I have to admit, the prospect of turnips never really sounded appetizing to me. I had nothing to go on, really, having never tried them. Perhaps it's the name. Turnip. As in, turnip your nose to them.

A few weeks ago, we visited D's daughter. She has celiac disease, and has an array of foods that are naturally gluten free that she gets creative with. She made mashed turnips for us that night with dinner. I have to admit I was a tad apprehensive about them. I mean, who eats turnips? But I was willing to try them, and am glad I did! She passed along a dish that I will (and have!) use again.

I like green beans, but usually cook them in a more traditional way: with diced onions and a bit of bacon or ham. They're good that way. But I wanted to try something a bit different with them and went searching for a recipe. The one I used, I was unsure of at the beginning. I'd never used fennel to cook, and feta cheese didn't sound like something that would go well with green beans. Lemme tell ya, I was wrong! (and you won't hear me say that often!!)

On the menu was
Rubbed Pork
Mashed Turnips
Sweet Potato Fries with homemade dip
Fennel Green Beans with Feta Cheese

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Rubbed Pork

• 4 boneless loin chops

Ingredients for the Rub:

• 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon ground coriander
• 3 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 tablespoon paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon allspice
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine ingredients and mix thoroughly. Rub Pork and place in oven at 350 degrees. Cook for 45 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking.

Mashed Turnips (also called Bashed Neeps by our Scottish friends)

Ingredients:

• 4 medium turnips, peeled and cubed
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup packed bread crumbs (or 1 cup if you use toasted bread)
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Boil turnips until tender. Whip turnips with electric beater until fluffy. Add the rest of the ingredients and whip with blender until well blended. Pour mixture into baking dish and bake for 1 hour at 350.

Sweet Potato Fries with Homemade Garlic-Curry Dip

Ingredients:

• 4 large sweet potatoes, sliced into "fries"
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon curry powder

Mix all ingredients in large bowl and toss. Place on cookie sheet, sprayed with cooking spray, and bake at 350 until tender (about 30 minutes)

Garlic-Curry Dip:

• 1/4 cup miracle whip
• 2 small garlic cloves, mashed to paste with salt (or garlic powder)
• Juice from 1/2 a lemon
• dash of black pepper
• 1 tsp curry powder
• dash of cayenne pepper
• sea salt to taste

Mix it all together. :)

Fennel Green Beans with Feta

• 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
• 1 fennel bulb, cut into think slices
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Fill saucepan 1/2 full of water and bring to boil. Add green beans and fennel; cook until crisp-tender (about 4 minutes). Drain in colander and run cold water over it.

return pan to stove and lower heat to medium. Pour in olive oil and let it heat for a minute. Return green beans and fennel to pan. Season with basil, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until coated and warm. Transfer to serving dish and toss with feta cheese.