Sassy Spicy Sweet Potatoes

The theme this month kind of happened accidentally!  I realized earlier this week that all the recipes I have lined up are my favorite fall flavors.  Pumpkin.  Sweet potato.  Butternut squash (calm down; you'll get that one next week).  I love it.  I love the heartiness.  I love how they're comfort flavors.  I love the vibrant orange colors and creamy velvety textures.  I love the sweet yet savory flavors.  I love that each of the combinations is something I'd never think of on my own.  This dish is no different.  I love sweet potatoes (my mama's nickname for me is Sweet Potato Pie).  And I love jalapenos.  But I'd never think to pair the two.  In fact, I'm a little surprised that I was bold enough to try this recipe.  But I'm so glad that I did.  Serve these potatoes with steaks and a big green salad.  Or pork tenderloin.  Or poultry.  They're so versatile.  So flavorful.  So different.  Even my mama, who's not a huge sweet potato fan, loved them and asked for the recipe.  So go ahead, trust me, and try this dish.  You won't be sorry!

4 sweet potatoes

olive oil

salt

1/2 cup sour cream (I used reduced fat)

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon seeded minced jalapeno

1 teaspoon lime juice

salt

bacon bits

sliced scallions

Preheat the oven to 450 with rack in the center.

Wash and dry sweet potatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Wrap in foil. Bake until soft when pierced, 45-60 minutes.

Combine sour cream, syrup, jalapeno, lime juice, and salt.

Serve potatoes with sour cream mixture, bacon bits, and scallions.

Serves 4.

Derby Pie

Not my photo...ours was eaten before I could take a
shot of an individual slice!

Marrying a Kentuckian introduced me to some wonderful food traditions: Bourbon Balls, Hot Browns, Mint Juleps, and Derby Pie! I'm no stranger to yummy Southern foods, being a Virginian myself, and since my mama went to college in Kentucky, I'd certainly heard of all the goodness the Bluegrass State had to offer. The simple (and sad) fact of the matter was that I'd never been lucky enough to taste any of it! So, when the first time my husband took me home to meet his parents, and attend my first Kentucky Derby, my (then future) mother-in-law served up my first Derby Pie and I was hooked. This takes the Southern Staple Pecan Pie to a whole new level and is now a fixture on our Thanksgiving table...and also on Derby Day, of course!

1 pie crust (make your own, or buy one ready-made)

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 stick butter, melted and cooled

1 cup pecan halves

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Whipped cream, for garnish (optional)

Nutmeg, for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Place pie crust in pan and crimp edges. Chill for 30 minutes.

Whisk together all ingredients except whipping cream and nutmeg and pour into chilled pie shell.

Bake pie for 35-40 minutes or until filling is golden brown. Cool until just warm. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of nutmeg. Pie can be served at room temperature, but my family prefers it warm (so the chocolate is slightly gooey) with Cool Whip or Whipping Cream on top. Additionally, this pie is very rich, so large slices are not necessary!

This one is my photo, from Thanksgiving, along with my
first ever Apple Pie!

Gobble Gobble

Remember when I told you that I'd never made Thanksgiving Dinner all by myself?  Well, I thought you'd be happy to know that it was a huge success.  In fact, my husband told me that my dishes had too much flavor and that the turkey wasn't dry and flavorless, as he remembered it at his parents' house growing up.

I felt a little like Monica, from Friends, when she's hosting Thanksgiving and Ross wants her to make lumpy mashed potatoes since that's how their mom did it.  I must say, this year's Thanksgiving Dinner was the best I remember in many years!

And I thought you'd like to see pictures!

Thanksgiving Menu Planner

There are only about two weeks left until my husband's favorite day of the year:  Thanksgiving! Born and raised in Louisville, my Midwestern Hubs is a meat-and-potatoes man to the core.  He loves all the comfort food favorites of a holiday dedicated to stuffing yourself!  Of course, for the last six years, we've been either deployed or with family for Turkey Day.  The first year we were dating, and the first year we were married, Hubs was alone on the big day and prepared the meal himself.

I, on the other hand, have never been in charge of Thanksgiving.  If I wasn't deployed, or a guest at someone else's house, I was always Mama's sous chef.  The most responsibility I ever had was in 2009, when I was in charge of the sweet potatoes, and in 2010 when I brought corn to our neighbor's Thanksgiving celebration.  This year, I'm all on my own.

The commissary here has had the traditional "Thanksgiving foods" on display for a couple of weeks already, and I just know things will soon be picked over and disappear if I don't buy them now.  So, I did what I always do, and called Mama for the how-to's!  She emailed me our traditional dishes and recipes for each.  I even called my mother-in-law to see if Hubs's side of the family had any particular favorites.  I made a shopping list, categorized by each dish and what can be purchased now (I was surprised by how much I can prep in advance, and honestly how easy each dish is...a major plus when making such a huge meal!).  Today I'll buy what I can, saving the rest of the fresh ingredients for the week before...

Would you like to know what we'll be whipping up in my kitchen this year?  I'm so glad you asked!

Lemon, Sage, and Garlic Turkey Breast 

we only like white meat, and there will only be two of us

Herb-Seasoned Stuffing with Mushrooms, Onions, and Celery

Garlic-Parmesan Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Sweet Potatoes with Orange Slices and Marshmallows

Mamaw's Fresh Country Green Beans

Fried Corn

Fresh Sugared Cranberries

Apricot Jello Salad

Apple Pie

no, I'm not making pumpkin pie, since I don't like it and two people don't need two pies

Sweet Potato French Fries

One of my all-time favorite side dishes to comfort food... A true Southerner, I love all things sweet potato!

For 2-3 servings, peel two good-sized sweet potatoes (leave 'em rough if you like; I sorta like having a little bit of skin left on). Cut your 'spuds into whatever fry size and shape you like.

Toss your raw fries in your favorite flavoring. I've used up to a cup of various marinades (BBQ sauce is a big hit at Hagan House) or 2 tablespoons dry seasoning with a good drizzle of olive oil (Cajun-blend seasoning or any of the McCormick grill rubs work really well).

Bake at 450F for 30-45 minutes or until desired crispiness. Tastes fabulous slathered in ketchup!!