Sweet Potato Corn Bread

Corn bread has never been a "big" Thanksgiving item in either of our families.  We typically have a yeast roll, so that we can have hot open-faced turkey sandwiches with leftovers :)  Plus, corn bread to me always seems really dry, even with butter and honey.

This year, I decided to try a new corn bread recipe for our annual Thanksgiving Dinner that our graduate chapter of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship hosts.  This recipe is so moist and yummy that we didn't have any leftovers to bring home.  What's better -- this recipe is Gluten, Dairy and Nut-free!

Sweet Potato Corn Bread - Inspired by Real Mom Kitchen

1 C corn flour*
1 1/2 T baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 C corn meal
2 eggs
1 C sweet potato puree (you can substitute pumpkin puree)
2/3 C brown sugar
1/4 C applesauce
1 T molasses

*If you don't have corn flour on hand, simply grind corn meal down to the consistency of flour in your food processor or blender.

In a large bowl, mix corn flour, corn meal, baking powder, salt and spices together.  Stir well.

In another bowl, combine eggs, sweet potatoes, brown sugar, applesauce and molasses.  Stir until well blended.

Pour in the wet ingredients to the dry ones and stir until just moist.

Then, pour into a greased 8x8 or 9x9 inch glass baking dish. 

Bake at 400 for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool before cutting and serving.

Enjoy!

This post is linked to:
Slightly Indulgent Mondays
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
In-Season Recipe Swap: Sweet Potatoes
URS: Pumpkin Recipes
Ingredient Spotlight
Gluten Free Recipe Parade
URS

Sweet Potato Pie

I love pumpkin pie.  But, I love my hubby more.  Seeing as he's allergic to pumpkin, we don't eat it in our house, and I haven't had a slice of it in ... too long.

This year, I tried a new pie -- Sweet Potato Pie -- and I love it.  I love it because it reminds me of pumpkin, but is more robust than pumpkin pie.  I love it because it's healthy -- sweet potatoes are good for you, you know.  I love it because my hubby can eat it too.  I love it because it has a yummy crust.  The crust is made from whole wheat molasses crinkles.... possibly the best crust ever.

For our first attempt, we used crushed cookies to make the pie crust.  After the pie was in the oven, I got to thinking that I should make the crust with the dough from the cookies, which would reduce the use of butter to get the cookies to stick together and form a crust.  I haven't actually tried this yet, but you can find my thoughts on how to do it under the * at the bottom of this post.    

Sweet Potato Pie with Molasses Crinkle Crust - SnoWhite

Crust
~8 large molasses crinkles*
1-3 T butter

Filling
1 can (12oz) evaporated milk
2 C sweet potato puree
1/2 C packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350.

Crumble cookies into a medium sized bowl, and mix in butter until the cookies easily stick together.

Press into a pie plate. Be sure to get a little cookie up the side (mine could have gone up higher).

Pre-bake the crust just a little (this becomes especially important if you are using raw cookie dough to make the crust); about 10 minutes until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, combine the filling ingredients in a bowl.

Mix well.

Pour into the pre-baked crust. (and, now, turn up your oven to 425)

Place pie on a cookie sheet in the oven heated to 425.

Bake the pie for 15 minutes at 425, and then reduce the heat to 350.
Continue baking for about 45-50 minutes more.

Pie is done when the center is set (you can check this by cutting into the center of the pie).

Allow the pie to cool before serving.

Pie is best eaten within 2-3 days of making. :) But, it won't last that long.


*You can also use about 1/2-1 C dough pressed into an 8-inch pie plate to form a crust.  Pre-bake the crust for about 8-10 minutes, before adding the topping.

This post is linked to:

• Tasty Tuesday
• Tuesdays at the Table
• In-Season Recipe Swap: Sweet Potatoes
• Love the Pie Party

Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream

Have you seen Edy's/Dryer's Pumpkin ice cream? Or, have you had Cold Stone's creamy deliciousness? With allergies, these ice creams are off-limits... so I decided to create my own. We made ours with sweet potatoes... but don't hesitate to make it with actual pumpkin.

Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream - Finding Joy in My Kitchen

1 C pumpkin puree* (or sweet potato puree)
2 C Half and Half
1 C Cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
(and, a little nutmeg if so desired)

Mix together puree, spices and vanilla. Allow these to sit together for an hour or so to let the flavors blend.

Then, dissolve the sugar in the cream and half and half.

Add all the ingredients together in the ice cream maker and make according to manufacturers directions.

Scoop into freezer containers and allow the ice cream to hard set... or, if you're too impatient... eat it right away.

But... hard set is better :)

I think this ice cream would be fabulous made into ice cream sandwiches between yummy Molasses Crinkles! Or, break apart little pieces of these cookies and add them to the ice cream maker about 5 minutes before you stop making ice cream.

*Really puree the heck out of the puree... unless you want chunks in your ice cream ;)

Looking for to make this without an ice cream maker?  Click here for two easy ways to do so!

This post is linked to October Carnival of Super Foods - Healthy Fats Edition,The Grocery Cart Challenge's Recipe Swap, In-Season Recipe Swap: Sweet Potatoes, Friday Feasts, and Pumpkin-Link Up at the Newlyweds.

Crockpot Chicken with Roasted Veggies

A few weeks ago, I found a great new recipe from Myra who blogs at Happy Housewife Living Life. We're always looking for yummy, quick, healthy recipes, and this one caught my attention. Chicken in the crockpot? Healthy mix of veggies? How could we pass this up?!



Crockpot Chicken and Roasted Veggies - Adapted from Myra

5-6 chicken tenders
1-2 tsp. Mesquite Chicken seasoning (McCormick's)

1 medium sweet potato, sliced and quartered
8 oz. mushrooms, quartered
2 medium carrots, cut into chunks
1 large zucchini, quartered
~ 1 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
sea salt

Place the chicken breasts with just a little bit of water and seasoning in the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for ~6-8 hours. (ours were done in about 4 because we used chicken tenders)



About 30 minutes before you want to each, prepare the veggies. Place them in a glass baking dish and toss in olive oil, garlic and salt.



Cover, and bake at 400 for about 15 minutes.



Then, remove the tinfoil and roast for an additional 15-20 minutes, until veggies reach the desired tenderness. Enjoy!



Thanks, Myra, for a great recipe.


This post is linked to:

• In-Season Recipe Swap: Sweet Potatoes

Great Pumpkin Cookies

Okay, so these should really read: Great Sweet Potato Cookies around here, but pumpkin sounds more festive. I love these cookies. Really - they are fantastic. My favorites growing up.

I haven't had these in years... I asked my mom to dig out the recipe and send it to me, so she did. It's on a torn piece of magazine from the 1980s. Complete with the fun cookie photos I remembered.

Seriously, that picture doesn't do them justice -- they are amazing. So amazing, they even taste great with sweet potato, so now Frog Prince {who has a pumpkin allergy} can enjoy these delicious cookies too.  Or, if pumpkin happens to be in shortage in your area, know you can use sweet potato with great success.

The Great Pumpkin Cookies - Adapted from Mom

2 1/4 C flour
1 C oats (quick or old fashioned)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 C butter, softened
1/4 C applesauce
3/4 C brown sugar
1/2 - 3/4 C sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C pureed pumpkin (or sweet potato)
1 C dark chocolate chips (or raisins)

Decoration:
-Icing (or peanut butter... PB is fabulous)
-Candy corn, raisins, M&Ms, etc.

Combine together flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

Meanwhile, cream butter. Then add the applesauce and sugars, mixing well until light and fluffy.

Add in the egg, "pumpkin" and vanilla. Stir to combine.

Then, mix together the wet and dry ingredients.

The batter will be really moist -- but that's okay. These cookies are moist too.

Feel free to shape some cookies before adding in the chocolates :)

Then, decorate away, if desired, before baking. I used dark chocolate chips and raisins.

Stir in those dark chocolate morels to the remaining batter. Yum.

Drop by the tablespoon onto a greased cookie sheet, and spread into the shape of a pumpkin. Add a bit more dough for the stem.

Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes until cookies are lightly browned.

Remove from the cookie sheet and allow pumpkin cookies to cool. Then, decorate with peanut butter/frosting and candy corn, etc., as you desire.

mmm.... a perfect decorating cookie!

Makes 19-20 cookies, depending on how large you make them!

Frog Prince loved these! He was a little leery at first (as I've been on a sweet potato for pumpkin kick lately), but he really enjoyed them. Considering he's never had pumpkin... he's really enjoying these "pumpkin" treats :)

Happy Fall!

This recipe is linked to:
Newlywed's Pumpkin Round Up,
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday,
Tasty Tuesday,
Save Room for Dessert,
In-Season Recipe Swap: Sweet Potatoes,

Bake at 350's Flavor of the Month,
URS: Fall Favorites
Ingredient Spotlight x2
Tasty Tuesday
Tasty Tuesday
Totally Tasty Tuesday

Sweet Potato Treats

I'm not entirely sure whether these are a dessert, a breakfast, a side dish, or a snack... but, these little sweet potato dishes are divine. A hint of sweetness, a creamy, pumpkin-pie like flavor, with a little chew to them... yum. And, what's better -- they use up those leftover sweet potatoes and rice you might have little dabs of hanging around in your fridge. Thanks, Amy, for such a fun recipe.

Sweet Potato Treats - Modified from Amy at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free
{Print Recipe}

1 C sweet potato, pureed/mashed*
1 C cooked brown rice
3/4 C milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 T brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. cloves

*I used 1 C mashed sweet potato that I had previously cooked for dinner.

Preheat the oven to 375 and prepare 4 ramekins or small baking dishes by spraying them with cooking spray.

Mix together milk, egg, and spices in a bowl. Add in brown sugar.

Add in pureed/mashed sweet potato and stir to combine.

Stir in the brown rice.

Spread the sweet potato mixture into the ramekins/dishes.

Bake at 375 for ~20 minutes, until middle is almost set. Then, remove from the oven and top with additional cinnamon and brown sugar.

Return to the oven, and bake until lightly browned -- about 5 more minutes.

Allow dishes to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Adding a dollop of whipped cream would be amazing.

This post is linked to:

• Mouthwatering Mondays,  
• Tuesday at the Table 
• Save Room for Dessert Wednesday
• In-Season Recipe Swap: Sweet Potatoes