Sweet Potato Puffs
Sweet Potato Puffs
If you are looking for a new way to serve sweet potatoes, you might just want to try this recipe. Sweet potatoes are mashed, mixed with butter, eggs and spices, rolled in bread crumbs and fried. The end result is a delicate morsel that has a crunch on the outside- and creamy mashed sweet potatoes on the inside. They are addictive!!! They make a great side dish, or can be served as an appetizer. While they are good hot, they maintain their crunch even after cooling down.
I first had a version of this recipe many years a go when a coworker made them and brought them to work. I found her original recipe and added more seasonings to it. I love them as much now as I did then.
The mixture, even after chilling, is soft. I placed spoonfuls of the mix in the breadcrumbs and rolled them gently into balls. The puffs are soft, even after frying, so remove carefully from the oil. You can fry up a batch in a few minutes, and serve right away. You can also cook them ahead of time, then reheat them before serving.
So here is the recipe.
Sweet Potato Puffs
2 c. mashed, cooked sweet potatoes
3 T. softened butter
1 egg
3 T. chopped parsley, or 1 T. dried
½ t. salt
½ t. paprika
½ t. cumin
½ t. nutmeg
Hot sauce to taste
Dash of fresh ground pepper
Bread crumbs for rolling
Oil for frying
Combine sweet potatoes with butter and egg, stirring to mix well. Add seasonings and stir well. Chill mixture at least a couple of hours. Heat oil to 350 degrees. You should have at least a couple of inches of oil in the pan. Shape sweet potato mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll in crumbs and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve. You can make a head of time, then just warm in the oven when ready to serve. They can also be fried and frozen for later use. These make a nice side dish or even can be served as an appetizer. They are very soft, even after frying, so remove from hot oil carefully.
Crunchy outside, soft and creamy inside
“Pumpkin” Pancakes
“Pumpkin” Pancakes
I want to be honest with you from the start. I made these pancakes with cooked butternut squash and not pumpkin. They were terrific. Many winter squash can be used just like pumpkin in cooking. The problem is that when I post a recipe as “squash” instead of pumpkin, people get confused. Perhaps they are thinking summer squash, like zucchini. Maybe the word pumpkin just conjures up a clearer image.
The pancakes were really good, and isn’t that what matters?
I make my own baking mix, and that is what I used as the base for the pancakes. You can just buy a mix, like Jiffy or Bisquick, if you prefer. The pancakes are light and fluffy, with a nice “pumpkin” flavor. We had them with warmed maple syrup, but they would also be nice served with powdered sugar or perhaps a fresh berry syrup. They would make a nice Thanksgiving Day breakfast, too.
“Pumpkin” Pancakes
2 c. baking mix – like Bisquick or Jiffy Mix – I make my own*
3 T. brown sugar
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 1/2 c. evaporated milk
1 c. pureed pumpkin or winter squash
2 eggs, beaten
2 t. vanilla
Combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl and set aside. Whisk together wet ingredients and stir into dry ingredients. Lightly grease a skillet and cook over moderate heat. Use about 1/3 c. of batter per pancake. Turn when edges appear dry. Makes 16.
*Chef Pastry Mix/ Biscuit Mix
8 cups sifted, all-purpose flour
1 c. powdered milk
1 c. powdered buttermilk
¼ c. baking powder
1 T. salt
2 c. shortening, butter or coconut oil*
Sift dry ingredients together 3 times. Cut in shortening, butter or coconut oil to resemble cornmeal. Keep in an airtight container. Store in a cool dry place and use within six months.
* I use coconut oil and store in the fridge. If you use butter or coconut oil- you have to keep in the fridge.
Honey Orange Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Honey Orange Glazed Sweet Potatoes
I will admit it – I am not a fan of really sweet, sweet potato dishes. Not unless it is a dessert. My Mom never served sweet potatoes with marshmallows, but they were still served “candied”. Sweet potatoes, sometimes canned, cooked in a glaze of brown sugar and butter. It was just what we did.
Then, one year, I grew my own sweet potatoes. Everything changed after that. I can still remember the joy of digging that first plant up. There they were, a cluster of beautiful sweet potatoes. I grew a lot of them that first year. I steamed them, baked them, made soup with them. Even had them for breakfast a few times.
My Mom was so pleased when I told her I was supplying them for her Thanksgiving dinner that year. I suggested we just cook them with a little butter, salt and pepper. They were so naturally sweet, that they surely, did not need to be candied. Not everyone was so pleased with that choice. Clearly, how to prepare sweet potatoes evokes some of the same passion as how to cook the turkey. So for awhile, there were two competing dishes of sweet potatoes on the Thanksgiving table. As if there weren’t enough dishes to worry about- we now had to have 2 types of sweet potatoes.
I hope this dish might just bridge the gap between the two camps. A little sweet, but not overly sweet. The orange juice and honey enhance the sweet potatoes nicely. The sugared nuts are a fun addition, too.
Honey Orange Glazed Sweet Potatoes
4 T. butter
4-5 c. peeled and sliced sweet potatoes
1 c. fresh orange juice
Zest of 2 oranges
¼ c. honey
2 t. hot sauce, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh grated nutmeg
Sugared nuts- optional* recipe follows
Melt butter in large skillet. Add sweet potatoes and cook over medium heat, for 5- 8 minutes. Potatoes should start to turn a little golden. Add orange juice, honey and seasonings and turn heat down to low. Cook, uncovered, until potatoes are tender and liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes. If you want more color on the sweet potatoes, turn the heat up a little once they are tender, and liquid is mostly gone. Serve with sugared nuts sprinkled on top, if you like. These can be made a day ahead and reheated.
*Sugared Nuts
4-5 c. nuts, I like walnuts or pecans
2 c. sugar
1 c. water
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. orange peel
1 t. salt, optional
Place all ingredients in heavy skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until all the water disappears. Whatever liquid in the pan will be clinging to the nuts and syrupy. Dump nuts onto a large cookie sheet and break apart with a wooden spoon to prevent clumping. As nuts cool, stir once or twice to remove any remaining clumps, and to cool faster. Nuts will lose their glossy appearance and attain a sugary crust. If it looks like nut soup, you didn’t cook them long enough, and you must return all to the skillet and cook longer. As the nuts start to get drier during cooking, you can turn down the heat a little to prevent burning. Once you’ve made a few batches, though, you will get good at judging when to stop cooking. You can also make a spicy version by adding a teaspoon of cayenne pepper along with the other ingredients. Store in cool, dry place to keep nuts fresh longer.
Mint Butter Cookies
Mint Butter Cookies
These cookies can be made with fresh or dried mint. You could use frozen mint as well. They have a delicate, almost cake-like texture. The mint adds a subtle flavor. I used a little vanilla extract- lemon works nicely, too.
I did a talk on herbs yesterday for the Richmond Heights Garden Club. As part of the program, I wanted to bake something for them with herbs. When I scheduled this program month ago, I never anticipated have fresh mint in the garden in mid-November. The big stand of mint inspired me to make these cookies. The ladies loved them, and I promised to share the recipe.
Mint Butter Cookies
1 c. butter
½ c. sugar
½ c. brown sugar
1 egg
1-t. vanilla extract- you could also use lemon
2 ¼ c. flour
¼ c. dried mint leaves or ¾ c. loosely packed fresh mint leaves, chopped fine
1 t. baking powder
1 t. cream of tartar
¼ t. salt
Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in egg and extract. Stir in dry ingredients until well mixed. Chill dough 30 minutes. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls on ungreased baking sheet 2- inches apart. Bake at 375 for 7-9 minutes. Makes about 6 dozen.
Gluten Free Sweet Potato Muffins
Gluten Free Sweet Potato Muffins
When a family member was diagnosed with Celiac disease eight years ago the selection of gluten free foods was pretty limited. Happily, today going gluten free is much easier. I buy a gluten free flour at Costco that can be used in any recipe that calls for all purpose flour. Gluten free flour is available in many grocery stores, too. It seems to bake, or at least brown, a little faster, so you have to keep an eye on what you use it in. It doesn’t get much easier than that. In this recipe you could also just use all purpose flour if that is what you prefer. Just increase baking time 3-5 minutes. The muffins are moist and not too sweet. They are great for breakfast, snacks or even as a dessert. They also freeze well so you can make a batch and freeze the extras for later. Wonderful for busy days when you don’t have time to make them.
These would make a nice addition for a Thanksgiving breakfast. They can also be served with Thanksgiving dinner, in place of more traditional rolls.
Sweet Potato Muffins- Gluten Free
4 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 c. oil
1 c. sugar
2 c. cooked sweet potatoes, mashed
1 3/4 c. gluten-free flour
1 T. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
Blend together in large bowl eggs, sugar, sweet potatoes and oil and set aside. In another bowl combine dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and stir until well blended. Pour into paper-lined muffin tins, filling about 2/3 full. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until muffins spring bake when touched lightly. Makes 30-36.
“Pumpkin” Cheese Dip
“Pumpkin” Cheese Dip
My friend Amy has been talking about baking a dip inside a pumpkin for awhile now. She really likes fun presentations for parties. I do, too. The idea is to serve this for Thanksgiving dinner. She wanted to test it out first, though, to be sure it would work. Thanksgiving Day is no time to be testing out a recipe.
Since she was coming over to dinner the other night, I surprised her by putting this one together. It worked out great, and now Amy has directions for making her own cheesy stuffed pumpkin.
It really is simple and could be filled with any number of combinations of cheesy goodness. I have included the one I made that night, and my recipe for Spinach and Artichoke Dip, which we will have at my family’s Thanksgiving dinner this year.
You just get a pie pumpkin, about 2-3 lbs. Cut off the lid and scoop out the seeds, like you would if you were making a Jack -o-Lantern. Wipe off the outside and then just fill it up with the dip mixture. Put the lid back on, bake for an hour, and you are good to go. The fun part is scraping some of the cooked pumpkin in with the cheese dip. More detailed directions follow.
So here is the recipe for making the cheesy filled pumpkin. I think it is simple enough to serve anytime, not just on a holiday. Enjoy!!
“Pumpkin” Cheese Dip
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut off top of pumpkin. Cut in at an angle, so top will fit like a lid and not fall in. Set top aside. Scoop out seeds and clean out any stringy bits*. Set pumpkin on a baking sheet. Combine cheese filling of your choice and place inside the pumpkin. Place the top of the pumpkin back on the pumpkin, and place in oven. Bake for 1 hour. Remove pumpkin and place on heat proof dish. I used a glass pie plate. Remove lid. Serve with crusty bread or crackers.
Smoky Cheese Dip
8 oz. cream cheese, cubed
4 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
8 oz. bacon, cooked and crumbled
½ c. sour cream
¼ c. mayo
¼ c. chopped parsley
½ t. cumin
Pinch of nutmeg
½ c. hulled pumpkin seeds
In medium bowl, stir together all ingredients, except the seeds. Place this mixture in the pumpkin when ready to bake. Don’t add the pumpkin seeds until right before serving. Stir them in a little, if you like.
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
1 (12-14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
10 oz. package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
8 oz. cream cheese, cubed
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
½ c. diced onion
¼ c. Italian dressing
Dash of hot sauce
In medium bowl, combine dip ingredients, stirring to combine. Place in pumpkin when ready to bake.
* You can rinse off the seeds, lightly salt them and toast them, if you like. Then serve with the pumpkin dip. If you aren’t interested in eating them- please put them outside for the birds to eat.
Are You Eating Sweet Potatoes or Yams?
Sweet Potatoes
I just wanted to clear something up. With all the sweet potato and “yam” recipes circulating, it seemed like a good time for this post. Are you eating sweet potatoes or yams?
Well, if you live in North America, you are having sweet potatoes. No matter what the produce department labels them, everything in the store is, botanically speaking, a sweet potato. Red, orange and yellow, big and small – all are sweet potatoes.
So where did the yam thing start? Well, many years ago the state of Louisiana had an abundant crop of sweet potatoes. They wanted to sell them in a competitive marketplace, so they decided to call them yams. Just a name change in an effort to give their product an edge over the competition. You’ll often still see them sold as Louisiana Yams. They aren’t yams, though. Louisiana Yams are, in fact, just sweet potatoes with a name change.
There are real yams- they are larger than sweet potatoes and quite starchy. They might be found at South American restaurants, or in specialty markets in the States, but they are NOT in your local grocery store.
A sweet potato by other name will taste as sweet.
Mom’s Cornbread
Mom’s Cornbread
I have made a lot of versions in cornbread in my life, but this one might just be my favorite. Perhaps because it is my Mother’s recipe.
The secret? She put a layer of shredded cheese between layers of batter. She also added cream style corn to some of the batter. You get a cornbread that is full of flavor. It is very tender and crumbly, but not dry. I baked mine in a cake pan, but there is no reason you could not bake this recipe in cast iron, if you prefer.
I served this version of cornbread with chili the other night. Everyone loved it. One friend even asked me to make a batch for her Thanksgiving dinner. I was so pleased. I hadn’t made Mom’s version of cornbread in awhile. I will definitely be making it more often from now on.
Mom’s Cornbread
1 c. cornmeal
1 c. flour
2 T. sugar
4 t. baking powder
¾ t. salt
2 eggs
1 c. half and half
¼ c. oil- or melted butter or bacon fat
4 oz. pepper Jack cheese, shredded
1 c. cream style corn
Grease a 9-inch square pan and set aside. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl, and set aside. In small bowl, combine eggs, half and half and oil and beat until smooth. Stir egg mixture into dry ingredients, stirring until combined. Don’t overmix. Pour half of the batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the batter in the pan. Combine remaining batter with the cream style corn. Pour this mixture over the cheese in the pan. Bake 20-25 minutes. Serves 8-9.
Chili – My Mom’s Version
Mom’s Chili
Today would be my Mother’s birthday. Every time I prepare something she used to make, I feel like I am honoring her a little. I had friends over for dinner the other night for chili and cornbread. Everybody loved it. One of my friends said it tasted like her Mother’s chili, too.
I love chili and make all sorts of variations, but I crave this simple version my Mother used to make. It was one of my favorite dishes when I was a kid. She’d often make cornbread to have with it. I admit to spicing it up more now, often adding a good shot of hot sauce, but it is still the same dish I remember so fondly.
I always think about the book Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier when I think about Mom’s chili. It was a really cold, rainy day, and I was stuck inside. I’d lost myself in the book and was totally engrossed when she called me to dinner. I think chili was about the only thing that would have pulled me away from that book.
Miss you Mom. Love you.
Mom’s Chili
1 large onion, chopped
Oil
3 lbs. coarsely ground beef
3 (28 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes – I used 3 quarts of home canned tomatoes
2 cans (about 15 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 T. minced garlic
¼- ½ c. chili powder, or more to suit your taste
2 t. cumin
½ t. cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot pepper sauce to taste
In Dutch oven or soup pot sauté onion in oil until tender. Add meat and cook until no pink is visible. Drain off excess fat. Add tomatoes, beans, garlic and chili powder to taste, cumin and cinnamon. Cover and simmer over low heat until flavors blend, at least 30 minutes. Longer cooking is even better. I often transfer the chili to the crock pot for a couple of hours. Adjust seasonings and serve. Serves 4-6.
Can be eaten as is- or top with shredded cheese or a dollop of sour cream.
Brussels Sprouts Salad
Brussels Sprouts Salad
I have always been a fan of Brussels sprouts. Even as a kid, I loved the “baby” cabbages. I usually eat them steamed or roasted, but I also enjoy eating them raw. We eat cabbage in cole slaw, so why not eat Brussels sprouts raw?
This salad is a great way to enjoy their crunchiness in raw form. I made this salad for a dinner with friends last night. It was a big hit. There was none left, which is always a good sign. The dressing, sweetened with a little maple syrup, really makes the dish work.
The nice thing about this salad, is that it tastes good even the next day. The sprouts are like little cabbages. Unlike leaf lettuce, which wilts quickly once dressed, the sprouts soften some, but retain most of their crunch. This would be a nice salad to serve for Thanksgiving, too. Lighten up the meal a little.
Brussels Sprouts Salad
8- 10 oz. Brussels sprouts
2 large oranges, peeled and cubed
¾ c. raisins
½ c. peanuts
Dressing:
¼ c. olive oil
¼ c. apple cider vinegar
2 T. maple syrup
1 T. fresh chopped parsley- or 1 t. dried
2 t. hot sauce, or to taste
½ t. dried thyme
½ t. dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Trim bottoms off the sprouts, cut in half and slice thin. You should end up with about 4 cups of sliced sprouts. Place in large bowl with the remaining salad ingredients. Place dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well to combine. Toss over Brussels sprout mixture. Serves 6.
Note: The salad ingredients can all be assembled a day ahead, then just dressed when ready to serve. I actually like it dressed an hour or so before serving, but I do toss in the peanuts right at the end. This salad is also good the next day.
