sweet potato

Sweet Potatoes- Five Ways

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

I love sweet potatoes and am always looking for fun ways to serve them. I will admit to not being a fan of sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows. I am not opposed to sweetening them, though. The following recipes include some simple treatments for the very versatile sweet potato.  If you are looking for a fun way to  serve sweet potatoes I am sure you will find a recipe here to love.

 

 

 

This simple recipe just sweetens the potatoes a little. I think here the nutmeg is the secret to make them taste really special.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks

4 T. butter

1/4 c. brown sugar

1-2 t. fresh grated nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes until tender. Drain water and add remaining ingredients. Smash the potatoes a little as you mix them. Serves 6.

Sweet Potatoes with Apples

Sweet Potatoes with Apples

Sweet Potato Salad

Sweet Potato Salad

Herbed Sweet Potato Biscuits

Herbed Sweet Potato Biscuits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This recipe is a great side dish. Slightly sweet and just a touch of vinegar makes this a winner.

Sweet Potato and Apple Saute

2 T. oil or butter

1 large onion, peeled and sliced

3 small sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced about an inch thick

1/2 c. water or stock

2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced

2 T. honey

2 T. cider vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

dash of hot sauce

Heat oil or butter in skillet and add the onion. Cook until golden. Add sweet potatoes and water or stock and cook until sweet potatoes are almost tender. Add apples and cook until apples are heated through. Add honey and vinegar and cook until most of the liquid disappears. Season to taste and serve.

While I often serve this salad for summer picnics it works well any time of the year.

Sweet Potato Salad

 3 large sweet potatoes

2 c. corn kernels, fresh off the cob preferred but frozen is O.K.

2 ribs celery, sliced

1 sweet onion, diced

1 c. sweet pepper, seeded and chopped

2-3 T. fresh parsley

1/3 c.  oil

1 t. Dijon mustard

3 T. apple cider vinegar

1 T. lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

½ c. cashews

In medium saucepan boil or steam potatoes until tender, about 20-25  minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and place in a large bowl of ice water. Add corn to saucepan and cook until just tender about 2-3 minutes. Drain corn and add to ice water with the potatoes. Once the vegetables have cooled down drain them and peel and cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Place potatoes and corn in a mixing bowl with remaining vegetables. Combine remaining ingredients, except cashews,  in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well before pouring over the sweet potato mixture. Toss to blend and chill until ready to serve.  Add cashews just before serving. Serves 6.

 

Maybe you are looking for a different kind of biscuit. This recipe is flaky, crisp on the outside and moist inside. Always a hit when I make them.

Herbed Sweet Potato Biscuits

2 1/4 c. flour

1 T. baking powder

1/2 t. grated lemon peel

1/4 t. each baking soda, dried basil and dried thyme

1 egg, beaten

1 1/2 c. shredded sweet potato, about 1 large

1/2 c. fine chopped green onions

1/2 c. sour cream

2T. butter, melted or olive oil

 

Stir together dry ingredients in large bowl and set aside. Combine remaining ingredients and add to flour mixture mixing until just blended. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead a few times until dough just stays together. Dough will look too dry- but it will come together after you knead it. Press into an 8-inch square and cut into four squares.* Cross cut each square into four triangles. Place on greased baking sheet and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 20 minutes. Makes 16.

* I press the dough into a lightly floured 8×8-inch baking pan and then flip it out onto the work surface. That way you’ll get nice, even edges.

 

For when you want really simple this is the way to go. Steamed and then tossed with just butter, nutmeg and salt and pepper the flavor of the sweet potatoes shine on their own.

Steamed Sweet Potatoes

 

3-4 lbs. Sweet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled if desired and cut in chunks
salt
pepper
butter
fresh grated nutmeg

If you don’t have a steamer, just place a metal strainer in a big pot and add an inch of water to the bottom. Cover and bring to a boil. Add sweet potatoes, cover and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. These can be done ahead and just reheated in the oven or in a microwave when ready to serve.
Remove potatoes from strainer and place in a serving bowl. Season to taste and add butter. Add a fresh grating of nutmeg over the top and serve. Serves 4-6, but with a lot of other side dishes, could serve 8.

Note: if you just look too forward each year to having them sweetened you can still steam them and just add 1/3 brown sugar with the butter and toss. A nice sweetener is to add a little maple syrup. To brown them up a little, place the potatoes in an oven safe dish and bake, uncovered 30 minutes to make a glaze.

Roasted Curry Cauliflower Soup

Roasted Curry Cauliflower Soup

Roasted Curry Cauliflower Soup

This may be one of my favorite soups yet. Creamy and flavorful it was a big hit at dinner last night. This recipe was inspired by what I had on hand and a dinner planned with friends. It started with this enormous cauliflower I had picked up at a produce market. I knew I wanted to use it. I had thought of just roasting it and having it as a side. I also knew we needed a soup for dinner. Ended up roasting the cauliflower anyway but using it as part of the soup.  Added other veggies for color as well as flavor. I also made sure to get it really smooth. I used an immersion blender but it could have been processed in a blender.  We topped it with croutons, but it could be served without, if you prefer.

 

 

Roasted Curry Cauliflower Soup

3 onions, peeled and sliced
1 large cauliflower, cut into flowerets
3 T. oil
salt
6 c. stock- chicken or veggie- or more if needed
2 medium or 1 large sweet potato, peeled and sliced
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1 can ( 13.5 oz.) coconut milk
1 c. half and half- or more coconut milk, if you prefer
2 T. curry powder
2 t. turmeric
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degree. Place onions in and cauliflower in roasting pan and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle on some salt and place in oven. Roast until veggies are turning golden brown, stirring occasionally. This will take about 20-30 minutes. Place cauliflower mixture in a crock pot and add the stock and other vegetables and cook on high for at least 4 hours. Add remaining ingredients and puree soup until smooth. Adjust seasonings. You can add more stock if soup is too thick. Serve as is or top with croutons when serving. Serves 6-8.

Root Vegetable Soup

Root Vegetable Soup

Root Vegetable Soup

When the air is chilly I am always in the mood for a nice hot bowl of homemade soup. This soup came about as I rummaged through the veggie bin. I had a number of root vegetables so decided to make them the focal point. I happened to have homemade beef stock, but you could easily swap it out for chicken stock or vegetable stock as well. There is a part of me that wants to call it root vegetables soup- but that sounds funny. So here it it- the recipe that was created based on what I happened to have on hand. The end result was really good.

 

 

 

Root Vegetable Soup

3 T. oil

1 onion, chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced

2 small parsnips, peeled and sliced

6 c. stock, I used beef

2 c. peeled and diced turnips, about 2 medium

2 c. diced potatoes, about 2 medium

2 c. diced tomatoes, or a (14 oz.) can of diced tomatoes, un-drained

1 medium sweet potato, diced

1/4 c. chopped parsley

2 T. apple cider vinegar

1 T. hot sauce, or to taste

salt and pepper to taste

In soup pot heat the oil and cook the onion until light golden. Add the  carrots and parsnips and cook until they are light golden, too. Add the stock, turnips, potatoes and tomatoes and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer, covered, until veggies are tender, about 20-30 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and remaining ingredients and cook until sweet potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Adjust seasonings and serve. Serves 6-8.

Sweet Potato “Gnocchi”

Sweet Potato "Gnocchi"

Sweet Potato “Gnocchi”

 

I made my classic gnocchi with potatoes and gnocchi made with beets for a birthday dinner with friends the other night. I also made gnocchi with sweet potatoes. They went well with the other gnocchi and the rest of the menu. I was using small sweet potatoes that were pretty pale once I cooked them so I added some turmeric to the dough to bring up the color a bit. That would certainly be optional. The turmeric added some flavor, but it really made the sweet potato gnocchi look great on the serving platter.

 

 

 

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

1 c. mashed, cooked sweet potatoes

1/2 c. mashed, cooked russet potatoes

2 eggs

1 t. salt

1 t. turmeric, optional

2 c. flour or more

Get a pot of water boiling. In mixing bowl combine the sweet potatoes with the eggs and seasonings. Add about 1 1/2  cups of the flour and stir until a soft dough forms. Continue adding flour, a little at a time, until the dough can be handled without sticking to your hands but is still soft. Take about 1/4 of the dough at a time and roll into a rope, about 15 inches long,  on a floured work surface. Cut dough into 1/2 thick pieces. Place pieces in a pot of boiling water and after a few minutes the gnocchi will float to the top. Cook them for several minutes after they have risen to the top of the pot. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain. If you aren’t going to use them right away drizzle with a little oil to prevent sticking or toss with butter. You can also run a little cold water over them instead. Repeat with the remaining dough.

A Trio of Gnocchi

A Trio of Gnocchi

Sweet Potato Salad

Sweet Potato Salad

Sweet Potato Salad

Since the Labor Day weekend is almost here I thought I would post one of my favorite salad recipes. The sweet potato salad is always a hit. It goes so well with grilled foods, too. I always make a double batch – it goes fast. The tricky part is not to overcook the sweet potatoes. They cook fast.  Keep an eye on them and get the potatoes into cold water to stop the cooking once they are tender.

 

 

 

 

Sweet Potato Salad

 3 large sweet potatoes

2 c. corn kernels, fresh off the cob preferred but frozen is O.K.

2 ribs celery, sliced

1 sweet onion, diced

1 c. sweet pepper, seeded and chopped

2-3 T. fresh parsley

1/3 c.  oil

1 t. Dijon mustard

3 T. apple cider vinegar

1 T. lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

½ c. cashews

In medium saucepan boil or steam potatoes until tender, about 20-25  minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and place in a large bowl of ice water. Add corn to saucepan and cook until just tender about 2-3 minutes. Drain corn and add to ice water with the potatoes. Once the vegetables have cooled down drain them and peel and cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Place potatoes and corn in a mixing bowl with remaining vegetables. Combine remaining ingredients, except cashews,  in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well before pouring over the sweet potato mixture. Toss to blend and chill until ready to serve.  Add cashews just before serving. Serves 6.

Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet Potato Pie

A friend of mine gave me this recipe years ago. I try to make it at least a couple of times a year. Confession time- I actually have had a piece for breakfast. Don’t judge me until you try it. Hey, it is a vegetable.

Sweet Potato Pie

½ c. sugar

1 t. cinnamon

½ t. allspice

½ t. salt

¼ t. cloves

1 ½ c. cooked, mashed sweet potato

2 eggs, beaten

1 c. milk or almond milk

2 T. melted butter or 2 T. olive oil

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust

Combine sugar with seasonings. Stir in remaining ingredients and combine until smooth. Pour into pie crust and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 40 minutes, or until filling is set.

Flaky Pie Crust

2 c. flour

1 t. salt

3/4 c. shortening, chilled

1 T. cider vinegar

4-5 T. cold water

Combine flour and salt and cut in shortening. Toss in vinegar and water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough holds together. Use a fork to toss the ingredients together and as soon as the mixture holds together stop adding water. Makes 2. Chill well before using.

Sweet Potato Salad

Sweet Potato Salad

Sweet Potato Salad

This is one of the dishes I made for a dinner with friends last night. I had forgotten about this dish. I used to make it a lot more often. It is a great change up from regular potato salad and a nice side for all sorts of meals. We had it with duck but a friend of mine is planning on serving it with her ham dinner planned for next week. The secret is to watch the sweet potatoes carefully when cooking them. You need to get them cooked, but not mushy. I steam them- either traditionally or in the microwave and check them often. Once they get to the right degree of “cooked” I put them in cold water to stop the cooking.

Sweet Potato Salad

 3 large sweet potatoes

2 c. corn kernels, fresh off the cob preferred but frozen is O.K.

2 ribs celery, sliced

1 sweet onion, diced

1 c. sweet pepper, seeded and chopped

2-3 T. fresh parsley

1/3 c.  oil

1 t. Dijon mustard

3 T. apple cider vinegar

1 T. lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

½ c. cashews

 In medium saucepan boil or steam potatoes until tender, about 20-25  minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and place in a large bowl of ice water. Add corn to saucepan and cook until just tender about 2-3 minutes. Drain corn and add to ice water with the potatoes. Once the vegetables have cooled down drain them and peel and cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Place potatoes and corn in a mixing bowl with remaining vegetables. Combine remaining ingredients, except cashews,  in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well before pouring over the sweet potato mixture. Toss to blend and chill until ready to serve.  Add cashews just before serving. Serves 6.

Sweet Potato Salad

Sweet Potato Salad

Sweet Potato Muffins- Gluten Free

sweetpotatomuffinI love cooking with sweet potatoes in all sorts of dishes from sweet to savory. I had been cooking with sweet potatoes recently and had some extra cooked ones so I used them in this recipe. Easy to make, moist and not too sweet they make  great breakfast or snack. They also freeze well.

Sweet Potato Muffins- Gluten Free

4 eggs, slightly beaten

3/4 c. oil

1 c. sugar

2 c. cooked sweet potatoes

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.

Sweet Potato Pound Cake

Sweet Potato Pound Cake

Sweet Potato Pound Cake

If the only way you enjoy sweet potatoes is as a side at the holidays or in pie it is time to expand your thinking about them. In this recipe the mashed sweet potatoes add both sweetness and moistness to the finished cake. Great plain or with a dollop of whipped cream and some fresh berries.

Sweet Potato Pound Cake

1 1/2 c. cake flour*

1/2 t. each baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg

1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 c. sour cream, room temperature

1 1/3 c. sugar

3 eggs, room temperature

1/2 c. mashed sweet potato

1 t. vanilla  

 Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly oil an 8×4-inch loaf pan. Mix flour with next 4 ingredients and set aside. In large mixing bowl beat together butter and sour cream. Beat in sugar and then beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in mashed sweet potato and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients and pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool in pan 30 minutes before loosening cake sides from pan and removing. After cake has cooled wrap in foil and store at room temperature. Serves 8.

* If you don’t have cake flour you can make your own. Simply measure out a cup of all purpose flour and remove 2 tablespoons of the flour. That is now the same as a cup of cake flour OR remove the 2 tablespoons of flour and replace them with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and sift together to combine. I do the flour/cornstarch mix and keep a batch on hand for when I need it in baking.

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