Sweet Potato Recipes

Here are a few good thanksgiving recipes using sweet potatoes.  Usually I don't cook sweet potatoes with so much butter, but if you're looking for something decadent, these fit the bill.

Candied Yams

2 pounds sweet potatoes or yams

½ cup butter

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup packed light brown sugar

½ cup water

Peel and cut the yams ¾” thick.  Boil in salted water until slightly tender (do not overcook as yams will cook more in the syrup).  Combine syrup ingredients in a small pan and boil uncovered 1-3 minutes.  Place yams in skillets or frying pans and pour the syrup over them.  Let syrup bubble in the pan until sauce is caramelized.

Sweet Potato Casserole

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes

2 eggs

½ cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

½ cup brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 cup chopped pecans

Mix first five ingredients and place in a greased dish. 

Combine topping ingredients and spread over sweet potato mixture.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  Serves 6-8. 

Blackberry Cobbler

This was not a pretty dessert, but it was so yummy. I didn't take any pictures but the results were so delicious I have to post!

Blackberry Cobbler

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups white sugar (set aside 1/4 cup)
2 cups milk
3 1/2 cups blackberries (fresh or frozen)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13" baking pan with nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl combine flours, baking powder, salt, 1 3/4 cup sugar, milk, and butter. Don't overmix, batter may be slightly lumpy. Pour batter into baking pan. Arrange blackberries on top of batter and sprinkle with reserved 1/4 cup sugar. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Pumpkin Scones

I love scones. I have to be careful not to make them too often, because I love them so much that I want to hide them from my family so that I can eat them all. These are delicious pumpkin scones, perfect for fall. I can eat pumpkin year round, so I wouldn't have any problem making these year round!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Scones
adapted from King Arthur Flour

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powdder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup cold butter
1 to 2 cups cinnamon chips
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
2 large eggs
coarse white sugar for sprinkling

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices. Work in the butter just until the mixture is unevenly crumbly; it's OK for some larger chunks of butter to remain unincorporated. Stir in cinnamon chips.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin and eggs until smooth. Add the pumpkin/egg mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until all is moistened and holds together.

Line a baking sheet with parchment and sprinkle lightly with flour. Scrape the dough onto the floured pan and divide it in half. Form each half into a 5 - 6 inch round circle. They should be about 3/4 inch thick. Brush each circle with milk and sprinkle with coarse white sugar or cinnamon sugar if desired.

Slice each circle into 6 wedges. Carefully pull the wedges apart, leaving 1/2 inch spaces between them. Place the scones in the freezer for 30 minutes. While scones are chilling, preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Bake the scones for 22-25 minutes or until they are lightly browned and until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, without any wet crumbs. If you pull one of the scones away from the others, it should look baked through, not wet or doughy.

Serve warm. Wrap any leftovers tightly and store at room temperature.

Makes 12 scones.

Lemon Bars

I've always loved Lemon Bars. My boys are not crazy about them, but every now and then it's worth making a batch and sharing with friends so that I can enjoy them myself. These are seriously lemony lemon bars, so if you don't love the taste of lemon, you probably won't be too crazy about them.

Lemon Bars
From Barefoot Contessa Parties

For the crust:
1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling:
6 extra large eggs, at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (from 4-6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup all-purpose flour

Confectioners sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press into a 9x13" baking dish, building up a 1/2" edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over hte crust and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into triangles or squares and dust with confectioners sugar. Store in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap.

Yields 20 squares or 40 triangles.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Here is an easy chicken tortilla soup. It would be perfect for the miserably cold weather we are having right now.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 tablespoons butter
3 chicken breasts, diced
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 (4-ounce) can green chiles
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes or 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained
1 quart (32 ounce) reduced sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 cup frozen corn
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

For serving:
tortilla chips
diced avocado
monterey jack cheese

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add chicken, onions, celery, and carrots and saute for 10 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, oregano, and chili powder. Cook for 1 more minute. Add green chiles, tomatoes, chicken broth, parsley, corn, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes.

Serve with broken tortilla chips, avocado, and cheese.

Monkey Bread

As we were driving down the canyon from a recent ski trip I asked my kids if they've ever had monkey bread before. My 10 year old son said, "No and I don't EVER plan on it!" I told him to remember those words. As soon as we arrived home I started mixing up this monkey bread. It's seriously addictive. Try it. You won't regret it! (Well, maybe you might when you get on the scale, but your belly will be happy!)

Make sure to serve this warm! It's great fun to pull warm, gooey bread off the loaf with your fingers!

Monkey Bread
adapted from Baked Explorations

For the bread:
1 1/4 cups milk
2 teaspoons instant yeast
4 cups all purpose flour
5 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the coating:
1 1/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled


Generously spray the inside of a 10-inch Bundt pan with non stick cooking spray. In a small saucepan, warm your milk to slightly above room temperature, then remove it from the heat, add the yeast, and whisk to dissolve. (Do not warm it beyond 110 degrees F or you will kill the yeast). In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the flour, sugar, and salt until combined. In a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork and add it to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until combined. Keeping the mixer on low, slowly stream in the milk until combined. Add the melted butter and mix until the dough comes together. Replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook attachment. Continue to mix on medium speed until the dough becomes silky and tacky, but not sticky, 8-10 minutes. The dough should mound together and easily come off the bottom of the mixing bowl. (If the dough is too wet, add some flour. If it is too dry, add a tiny bit of water.)

Spray the bottom and sides of a large bowl with cooking spray. Place the dough in the bowl and roll it around to make sure it is completely covered in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a dish towel and let it rest in a warm area until the dough has doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Use your clean hands to push down and deflate the dough. Remove it from the bowl and pat it into a rough circle approximately 8 inches diameter. Use a bench knife or serrated knife to cut dough into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces (about 1/2 oz each )- alternatively, use your hands to pinch apart the dough. Roll the pieces into balls (they don't have to be perfectly round). Place the balls on the sheet pan (you will get about 60 pieces in all). Cover the balls lightly with plastic wrap.

In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Place the melted butter in a separate bowl.

Remove the plastic wrap from the dough balls and dip one ball in the melted butter. Let the excess butter drip back into the bowl, roll the ball in the brown sugar mixture, and place it in the Bundt pan. Continue this process with each ball, until you have several layers, arranging them as if you are building a brick wall. Wrap the Bundt pan tightly in plastic wrap. Set it in a warm area of the house for about 1 hour, or until the dough balls have doubled in size and appear puffy. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the plastic and bake the Bundt until the top layer is deep brown and the caramel coating begins to bubble around the edges, about 30 minutes. Cool the bread for 5 minutes, then turn it out directly onto a platter and serve warm. Should you have any leftovers (this is rare), simply reheat them in a 300 degree oven until warm to the touch.

Note: You can make the dough ahead of time. Once the dipped dough has been placed in the pan, wrap it tightly, refrigerate it, and bring it back to room temperature to "proof" the dough before baking.

Marinated Tri Tip

Here's a yummy marinade for tri tip steaks or roasts. I used a roast. It was so nice to prepare this a day ahead and have it ready to throw on the grill tonight! I didn't have any mushrooms so I left them out. I don't really like mushrooms anyway, but I'm sure for those who do like them they'd be a great addition to this recipe.

Marinated Tri Tip

2 1/2 pounds tri-tip beef steaks or one tri-tip roast
1 large onion, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup A-1 steak sauce
1 cup teriyaki sauce
3 tablespoons crushed garlic
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 (12 oz.) can Sprite

1 (8-oz) package mushrooms, sliced

Stir together marinade ingredients. Pour into a large ziploc bag, then add steaks and onions. Marinate overnight. (You could do this step, then place the bag in the freezer. Before cooking, let thaw in refrigerator).

Remove steaks from marinade and grill for 5-10 minutes on each side (for roast it will take longer). While meat is grilling, strain onions from marinade. Place in non-stick skillet, add mushrooms, and cook over medium-high heat. Cook until mushrooms have softened. Serve sauteed mushrooms and onions with grilled steaks.

Roasted Vegetables

This is so simple, but it's the best way to cook a lot of vegetables. I cook potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, and asparagus this way. If you haven't tried roasting your vegetables, try it! It makes vegetables so delicious!

For potatoes, I like to use red skinned potatoes. All I do is wash them and cut them into chunks. For sweet potatoes and carrots, peel and cut into chunks. For asparagus, wash and break off the hard end at the bottom. Just toss the vegies in a little bit of olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Cook at 425 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until they're done (asparagus only takes about 5 minutes, so throw them in when your meal is almost complete). I use my toaster oven so that I don't have to heat up the big oven.

Creamy Chicken & Biscuit Bake

This is one of those dishes that tastes better than it looks. Especially since my picture is taken the next day as I'm reheating leftovers! It's an easy to make dinner. Hope you enjoy it!

Creamy Chicken & Biscuit Bake

3 cups shredded chicken (you can use cooked chicken breasts or leftover rotisserie chicken)
2 (5.2 ounce) packages Boursin cheese, crumbled (I use Garlic & Fine Herbs)
1 1/4 cups milk (or cream if you're feeling decadent)
1 (15 ounce) can low sodium chicken broth
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. dried onion
1 cup frozen peas and carrots (I didn't have frozen carrots so I cut up one regular carrot and boiled it for about 3 minutes to soften)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.

In a bowl, combine flours, baking powder, cheddar cheese, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

In a large pot combine the rest of the can of chicken broth, chicken, boursin, 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, dry onions, and vegetables over medium heat. Stir often and cook until cheese is melted and mixture is heated through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a greased 9x13" baking dish.

Using spoons or a 2 Tbsp. cookie scoop, space heaping spoonfuls of biscuit batter (about 2 Tbsp. each) about 1/2 inch apart over chicken mixture (you will have about 20 biscuits). Bake until biscuits are golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Serve.

Potato Soup

I had too many potatoes lying around one day and decided soup sounded good. I made this up as I was going along and loved the results.

Potato Soup

1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
26 ounces chicken stock (low sodium)
6 cups chopped potatoes (I used white potatoes)
2 cups chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
2 cups skim milk
1-2 cups chopped ham
1 cup frozen sweet corn
shredded cheddar cheese for serving

Saute onion in olive oil until softened and starting to brown. Add chicken stock, vegetables, and ¾ tsp. Kosher salt and simmer until vegetables are soft (about 20 minutes). In another pan, melt butter. Add flour, salt, and pepper and stir until smooth. Add milk slowly and stir until starts to thicken. Add to soup mixture. Add chopped ham & corn. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese on top.