Sweet Potato, Sausage & Greens Soup

Yum, yum, yum!  I decided to try this recipe because I had an abundance of kale and sweet potatoes from the garden, but I never dreamed it would be so delicious.  I'm sure the Italian sausage I bought at Rooster St. Provisions was part of the secret to the fabulous flavor combo.  Yum!

Source:  marthastewart.com

1 T. olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced large

2 cloves garlic, minced

Sea salt & pepper

3/4 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

1 lb. sweet potatoes, unpeeled and diced medium

4 c. chicken broth

2 c. water

3/4 c. small pasta shells

4 c. packed roughly chopped mixed greens, such as kale and Swiss chard

Grated Parmesan. for serving

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high.  Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes; season with sea salt and pepper.  Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes.

Add sweet potatoes, broth and water and bring to a boil.  Add pasta and cook 3 minutes less than package instructions.  Reduce to a simmer, add greens, and cook until pasta is tender and greens are wilted, 4 minutes.  Serve with Parmesan.

Serves 6.

Baked Sweet Potato "Fries"

Source:  Ina Garten's Back to Basics

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled

2 T. good olive oil

1 T. light brown sugar

1/2 t. coarse sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Halve the sweet potatoes lengthwise and cut each half into 3 long spears.  Place them on a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil.  Spread the potatoes in one layer.  Combine the brown sugar, salt, and pepper and sprinkle on the potatoes.  Bake for 15 min. and then turn with a spatula.  Bake for another 5-10 min., until lightly browned.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and serve hot.

Apple-Pecan-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes



Photo credit:  Southern Living

These were wonderful!!  They're a great make-ahead dish, but of course I was running behind schedule and wasn't able to take advantage of that benefit.  :{

Source:  Southern Living Magazine

4 medium-size sweet potatoes (3 1/2 lbs.)

3/4 c. coarsely chopped pecans

1/4 c. butter

1 large Rome Beauty apple, chopped

1/4 c. golden raisins*

1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. ground nutmeg

Place potatoes on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.  Bake at 425 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until tender.

Heat nuts in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 5-7 minutes or until toasted.  Remove from skillet.

Melt butter in skillet over medium-high heat.  Add apple and raisins; saute 2-3 minutes or until apple is tender.  Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Remove from heat.

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; scoop pulp into a large bowl, leaving shells intact.  Add apple mixture to pulp in bowl; stir until blended.  Spoon mixture into shells.  Place on baking sheet. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Top with nuts.

* I substituted craisins in place of the raisins.

Warm Spinach Salad with Fried Egg & Potatoes

I love breakfast salads - probably because it's often closer to lunch by the time I get around to eating breakfast on a weekend morning!  I have just a little bit of Swiss chard left in the garden - perfect for this recipe.  The soft-cooked egg yolk makes a yummy "sauce" for the salad.

Source:  Adapted from Everyday Food magazine

4 T. olive oil

2 baking potatoes (about 1 pound total), scrubbed and cut into 1/2" cubes

sea salt and pepper

2 T. red-wine vinegar

1 T. Dijon mustard

1 shallot, minced

2 lbs. flat-leaf spinach, torn

2 oz. Parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler

4 large eggs

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 T. oil over medium heat.  Add potatoes; season with salt and pepper.  Cook, tossing occasionally, until potatoes are tender and browned, 12-14 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine remaining 2 T. oil with vinegar, mustard, and shallot; season with salt and pepper, and whisk to combine.  Add spinach and Parmesan (do not toss); set aside.

When potatoes are done cooking, immediately transfer to bowl with spinach and dressing (reserve skillet).  Toss salad until spinach is slightly wilted, and divide among four plates.

Heat skillet over medium heat, and gently crack eggs into skillet without breaking yolks; season with salt and pepper.  Cook until whites are almost set, about 1 minute.  Cover, turn off heat, and let stand until whites are just set but yolks are still soft, about 2 minutes more.  Top each salad with a fried egg, and serve immediately.

Update 12/11/10
This is excellent with sweet potatoes in place of the white potatoes!

Roasted Potato Mix

This is such a simple recipe, but always gets rave reviews.  It's great for company or for just you!

Source:  Mary Beth W.

1 large russet potato, peeled and cubed

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 c. diced onion

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

2 T. butter

2 T. olive oil

Melt butter and olive oil in 9x13" pan.  Toss with potatoes, onion, salt and pepper.  Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.