Sweet Potatoes

I hope all of you who celebrate Thanksgiving had a great one with lots of good food:)  Every year for Thanksgiving, I try a few new recipes.  One dish that graced our table this year was Sweet Potatoes. Usually, I just make mashed potatoes and call it good, but the family also said they would like some Sweet Potatoes.

Instead of sticking to the standard recipe I make most  of the time, I modified one I found on "My Recipes" website.   They baked their potatoes in orange cups and used pecans in their recipe.  I eliminated the orange cups and pecans and added lots more marshmallows.   We love marshmallows on our sweet potatoes.  I baked my potatoes  in an 8x8-inch baking dish that was lightly sprayed with cooking oil.

This was the favorite side.  The potatoes were sweet and creamy with just the right amount of spice.  The marshmallows, well, what can I say except they were what made the dish.  Toasted to perfection with their sweet melted goodness in every bite.

This is a perfect side for any meal.  We were scraping the baking dish to get every delicious bite:)

Sweet Potatoes
From "My Recipes.com" adapted by "From My Southwest Kitchen"

Ingredients:

6 small sweet potatoes (about 2 3/4 pounds)
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons orange zest
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2-2 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Place the sweet potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 45 minutes or until tender.  Let stand 20 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
2. Peel sweet potatoes and place potato pulp in a large mixing bowl.  Add sweetened condensed milk and the next 8 ingredients.  Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth, stopping occasionally to remove any tough fibers, if necessary.
3. Lightly spray an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.  Spoon potatoes evenly into the prepared dish and smooth top.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and top with the marshmallows pressing lightly to adhere.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until marshmallows are melted and golden brown.  Remove from oven and serve.

Makes 6 servings

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at "From My Southwest Kitchen."  

Thanks also to all the loyal readers of this blog.  You're the greatest:)

Sweet Spiced Nuts

Need something quick as an appetizer for your Holiday Parties/Dinners?  Nuts are great.  They are quick, easy, and you can make them sweet, spicy, or both.

Today's recipe is for Sweet Spiced Nuts.  Three cups of assorted mixed nuts are first coated with a beaten eggs white, then tossed with sugar and spices.  Add a couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce and they are ready to be spooned onto a prepared baking sheet.  They are baked in a 275 degree F oven for about 35 minutes.  Let them cool and then break them into pieces and serve.

These nuts have a wonderful sweet cinnamon taste with just a hint of spice.  A great addition to any Holiday event or just for yourself:)

Sweet Spiced Nuts
From Food Network


Ingredients:

1 large egg white
2/3 cup sugar
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie or chai spice blend
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups assorted mixed nuts
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 275. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk the egg white with 1 tablespoon water in a large bowl until frothy. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, the spice blend and cayenne pepper. Toss the nuts in the egg white mixture, then stir in the sugar-spice mixture and Worcestershire sauce.

Spoon the nuts onto the prepared baking sheet in small clusters and bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely, then break into pieces.

Servings 8

Do-Ahead Turkey Gravy

For this Thanksgiving, I decided I was going to make a few things ahead of time.  One was the gravy.  I do not like feeling rushed as  I make the gravy on Thanksgiving.  Everything is ready to go, but the gravy never seems to get cooked fast enough.  So I started looking for a recipe that would eliminate the Thanksgiving Day gravy stress.

I found a wonderful recipe on the "Good Housekeeping" blog.  It is full of flavor and comes out silky smooth.  You can make this up to three days ahead of time.  Just warm and serve when you need it.  If you wish, you can add some pan drippings from your Thanksgiving turkey.



Do-Ahead Turkey Gravy
From Good Housekeeping

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon(s) vegetable oil
2 (about 1 1/2 pounds) turkey wings, separated at joints
1 large onion, quartered
2 carrots, each cut into 4 pieces
2 stalk(s)  celery, each cut into 4 pieces
1 clove(s)  garlic
1/2 cup(s)  dry white wine
2 can(s) (14 to 14 1/2 ounces)  chicken broth
1/4  teaspoon(s) dried thyme
1/2  cup(s) all-purpose flour

Directions:
1. In deep 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add turkey wings and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until golden on all sides. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until turkey wings and vegetables are browned, stirring frequently.
Transfer turkey and vegetables to large bowl.
2. Add wine to skillet and stir until browned bits are loosened. Return turkey and vegetables to skillet. Stir in broth, thyme, and 3 cups water; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce to medium-low; simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes. Strain into an 8-cup measure or large bowl; discard solids.
3. Let broth stand a few seconds until fat separates from meat juice. Spoon 1/4 cup fat from broth into 2-quart saucepan; skim and discard any remaining fat.
4. Add flour to fat in saucepan; cook, stirring over medium heat until flour turns golden brown. Gradually whisk in reserved broth and cook until gravy boils and thickens slightly, stirring constantly. Pour gravy into 2-quart container or medium bowl; cover and refrigerate.
5. At serving time, reheat gravy and add pan drippings from roast turkey if you like.

Yields 6 cups

Slow-Cooker Indian Pudding

It has been in forever since I have eaten Indian Pudding.  I forgot how delicious it was.  Cornmeal, milk,  butter, molasses, spices, and some eggs mixed together and cooked to create an easy and delicious dessert.

Today's recipe was found in "Yankee" magazine.  I love this recipe because the pudding is cooked in a slow cooker and is easy to assemble.   Great for Thanksgiving when ovens are full.   The pudding mixture  is first cooked over the stove.  You then pour a little of the mixture into the egg and butter mixture whisking all the time.  This is know as tempering the eggs.   You then transfer the egg mixture into the rest of the pudding mixture.  Stir in some dried cranberries, if you wish, pour into a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  When the pudding is done serve it warm with some ice cream or whipped cream.  I served mine with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and it was wonderful.


Slow-Cooker Indian Pudding
From "Yankee" Magazine

Ingredients:

3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing cooker
2 large eggs
1/3 cup molasses
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)
Garnish: ice cream, whipped cream, or light cream

Instructions:

Grease the inside of your slow cooker with butter and preheat on high 15 minutes.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, whisk together milk, cornmeal, and salt, and bring to a boil. Continue whisking another 5 minutes; then cover and simmer on low 10 minutes. Remove from the burner and add butter.


In a medium-size bowl, combine eggs, molasses, and spices. Add some of the hot cornmeal mixture to the egg mixture to temper the eggs; then transfer egg mixture into the pot. Stir in cranberries, if you like.

Scrape batter into the slow cooker and cook on high 2 to 3 hours or on low 6 to 8 hours. The center will be not quite set.

Serve warm topped with ice cream, whipped cream, or light cream.

Serves   6

Cuban Sliders

There is nothing quite so tasty as a Cuban sandwich.  These sliders are no exception.  They are small bites packed with flavor.    Ham, roasted pork, Swiss Cheese, chopped pickles, all sandwiched between a Hawaiian sweet roll (I used The Original King's Hawaiian Rolls) that has been spread with mustard.

Sounds delicious and they are so easy to make.  Once the sliders have been constructed,  place them  in a preheated 400 degree F oven with a cast iron skillet on top of the sandwiches.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven, cut and serve.

Great for parties, snacking, light meals, Tree trimming days, just good anytime:)


Cuban Sliders
From "Southern Living Magazine"
Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
1 (12-oz.) package Hawaiian sweet dinner rolls
4 ounces thinly sliced deli ham
4 ounces thinly sliced deli-roasted pork
6 (1-oz.) Swiss cheese slices
1/2 cup chopped dill pickle chips
3 tablespoons yellow mustard
Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Spread olive oil in a jelly-roll pan; place pan in oven to heat.
2. Remove rolls from package. (Do not separate rolls.) Cut rolls in half horizontally, creating 1 top and 1 bottom. Layer ham, pork, and Swiss cheese on bottom half. Spread chopped pickles over cheese. Spread mustard on cut side of top half of rolls, and place, cut side down, on bottom half to make a large sandwich.
3. Remove jelly-roll pan from oven, and carefully transfer sandwich to hot pan. Place a cast-iron skillet or griddle directly on rolls.
4. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts and bread is crisp. Remove from oven; cool 5 minutes. Cut into 12 sliders, and serve immediately.

Fresh Cranberry Salsa With Cream Cheese Dip

Need something quick, inexpensive, and delicious to serve at your Holiday Parties or Holiday Meals?  Give this dip recipe a try.  Not only is it very flavorful, it is very festive looking.  The colors of the ingredients just pop.

I found this recipe on the "Our Best Bites" website.    I modified the recipe slightly.  I did not use all the onions they suggested.  I used 1/4 cup instead of 1/2 cup.  I am not a big fan of lots of onions in dip.  Just enough for flavor.  I also upped the salt by 1/4 teaspoon.  The recipe says to chill for at least two hours.  I found the longer the salsa chilled the flavors blended together nicely.

Finally just spread some cream cheese on a plate, top with your chilled salsa and your dip is ready. Serve with crackers and  Enjoy:)

Yes, there is cream cheese under the salsa

Fresh Cranberry Salsa With Cream Cheese Dip
From Our Best Bites, adapted by From My Southwest Kitchen

Ingredients:
12 oz bag fresh cranberries, washed
2 jalapenos, minced (adjust according to taste)
1/4 cup sliced green onions, roughly chopped
1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves
1/2 tablespoon lime  juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

Instructions:

Place  cranberries, jalapenos, green onions and cilantro in a food processor and process until fine.  Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in lime juice, salt, and sugar.  Chill in fridge for about 2 hours or more.  To serve, spread cream cheese evenly in a pie plate or other shallow serving dish.  Spread salsa on top and serve with crackers.