Sweet Potatoes!!

After a recent Facebook thread, I discovered that a lot of people don't like sweet potatoes.  Or maybe they just don't know what to do with a sweet potato except for cover it with marshmallows and brown sugar.  Below are some of the things that I do with sweet potatoes.

1.  "Bake" the sweet potato in the microwave and top it with a sprinkle of Himalayan pink salt and pepper.  My microwave has a handy baked potato button and I use it frequently.

2.  Roasted Root Veggies.  

• 1 sweet potato, 1-2 beets (depending on size), 2-3 carrots (depending on size), 1/2 yellow onion, 1 1/2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, minced garlic. 
•  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 
•  Cut root veggies into cubes (I leave the peel on) and cut onion into wedges.  
• Toss veggies, garlic, and olive oil in a large bowl.  
• Spread onto a baking sheet, I foil line mine for easy clean up, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake 30-50 minutes depending on the size of your cubes.  Turn once or twice throughout baking to evenly brown.  
• [Serves 4]

3. Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Bisque.  (Adapted from Beachbody's recipe)

• 1 sweet potato, 1/4 red bell pepper, 1 cup vegetable broth or water, 1 tsp. finely grated peeled ginger root, 1 1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, Liquid Aminos, Himalayan salt, and herbal seasoning (to taste)
• Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Cook in boiling water until tender. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, roast a whole red bell pepper on gas stovetop or grill, turning frequently until evenly charred on the outside OR in your oven at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 10 minutes or until skin is charred.
• Put pepper in bowl and cover with towel for 10 minutes to steam. Clean off skin and seeds by running under cool water. Remove seeds, cut in quarters, and chop one quarter into 1/2-inch cubes. (Set remainder of pepper aside for another use.)
• Place sweet potato, pepper, broth or water, ginger, and oil in blender. (If you want chunky soup, set aside some chunks of pepper.) Blend thoroughly, adding more liquid to achieve desired soup consistency. Transfer to a pot and gently heat on low until hot. Add Aminos, salt, and seasoning as desired.
• [Serves 1]

I have more recipes.  I have to go but I'll update later.

Baked Jalapeno and Habanero Poppers

This is my recipe that has been based of off Emeril's recipe.

Ingredients

• 12 fresh jalapeno peppers and/or habanero peppers, halved lengthwise, stems, seeds and membranes removed
• 6 ounces Neufchatel cheese, softened (or cream cheese)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack, Sharp Cheddar, or Mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 8 teaspoons of other seasonings to your liking mixed together (I used a mixture of powdered garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, parsley, thyme, oregano...)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup panko crumbs
• 1/2 cup Almond flour (or all purpose flour)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, cream together the Neufchatel cheese, shredded cheese, cumin, and cayenne.

In a small bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, and 2teaspoons other seasonings to taste. In a shallow dish, combine the panko crumbs and remaining 4 teaspoons of other seasonings. In a third dish, combine the flour and remaining 2 teaspoons of other seasonings. Spread 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture into the middle of each jalapeno half. One at a time, dredge in the flour, dip into the egg mixture, then dredge in the panko crumbs, pressing to coat. If necessary, repeat the process. Place the coated peppers, cut side up, on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the filling is runny and the crust is golden, about 30-35 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve immediately with cold beer.

Strawberry Brown Sugar Butter

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1-2 strawberries, chopped and mashed
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Directions:
Soften butter
Add strawberries and brown sugar
Mash together with a fork or spoon until mixed

Serve on toast, pancakes, waffles, English muffins and more.

Oatmeal pancakes

This is my personal recipe.  Please feel free to share.


This recipe makes about 20 4-inch pancakes.  If you don't eat all of them on the day you make them, they can be frozen!  Just cool the pancakes and then put into a freezer bag.  Then pop in the freezer.  Reheat them in the microwave or toaster.


Ingredients:
1 cup flour (I used all purpose)
1 cup old fashioned oats (Quaker)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup 1% milk
1/2 cup fat free vanilla yogurt (I used Stoneyfield french vanilla)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten


Directions:
1.  Place oats into a food processor and blend until smooth
2.  Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
3.  Add milk, yogurt, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, and eggs to dry ingredients.
4.  Combine all ingredients until smooth.
5.  Lightly grease/butter a skillet over medium heat..
6.  Pour batter into skillet and brown cake on both sides.
7.  Serve piping hot with your choice of toppings!


Yields:  Approximately 20 4-inch pancakes


I topped mine with Strawberry Brown Sugar Butter, fresh strawberries, and real maple syrup.

Week of October 25th

Monday - Cheddar sausages, french fries, green beans

Tuesday - Shrimp Alfredo, peas, garlic toast

Wednesday - Pork BBQ sandwiches, baked beans, corn (To make the pork BBQ, I am putting a pork loin in the Crock pot after I rub it with brown sugar, paprika, salt, and pepper. I will cook it with a little water and then add bottled BBQ sauce to it for the last 30 minutes.)

Thursday - Steak (for daddy and A-baby), sweet potatoes, lima beans

Friday - we will be at a Halloween party at A-baby's school, so I'm sure we will snack there. If we are hungry, left over Pork BBQ.

Saturday - Fish sticks, noodles, beets

Sunday - I'm looking at ideas for a spooky meal. I can't make up my mind!

Menu Plan Monday

It's just me and A-baby this week, so I'm going for easy, healthy, and stuff Daddy doesn't like.

Monday
Butternut Squash and Vegetable soup with buttered rolls

Tuesday
Leftover beef vegetable soup thickened with a rue served over mashed potatoes

Wednesday
Teriyaki chicken, rice, peas

Thursday
Leftover Butternut Squash soup (depending on how it turns out)

Friday
Pigs in a blanket and corn

Saturday
Eat dinner out since we have to go to the airport

Sunday
Something nice for Daddy's return. Perhaps a pot roast, veggies, and potatoes.

Butternut Squash and vegetable soup

This soup is a work in progress as it's on the stove when I'm typing this.

Update: The soup is done and eaten. The changes I've made are in green.

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 1/2 large Vidalia or sweet onion, cubed
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced Next time I will use 4 or 5.
• 1 medium potato, skin on, cubed Next time I will peel them.
• 3 carrots, diced
• 2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
• salt
• pepper
• cinnamon
• ginger
• 48 oz chicken stock, divided
• Fresh chopped parsley

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large soup pot.
2. Add diced onion and celery, sprinkle with salt and pepper, saute 1 minute.
3. Add garlic, saute 1 minute.
4. Add potato and carrot, sprinkle with salt and pepper, saute 5 minutes (or while you cut up the squash).
5. Add butternut squash, sprinkle with salt, pepper, cinnamon, and ginger, saute 5 minutes.
6. Cover with chicken stock (Don't use all 48 oz of it, you might need some more for later. Also remember that the veggies will releases some juices, too.)
7. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes.
8. Strain liquid and reserve.
9. Blend until smooth, adding reserved liquid as needed.
10. Return to hot stove, add more spices, salt, and pepper to taste.
11. Stir in fresh parsley
12. Serve piping hot with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of cinnamon.