Givin' Thanks

Well, Thanksgiving is tomorrow and it may be too late to give out cooking tips. But just in case you need something quick and easy to make, here's my most recent favorite!
Last year I really wanted sweet potatoes to be included in the Thanksgiving meal. However, my mother in law really doesn't like the look or taste of the traditional casserole. I persuaded her to allow me to make something a little different and it was a huge hit. "Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes" were the perfect answer to my dilemma. You basically make them just like twice baked potatoes but alter the mix-ins.
1. Bake your sweet potatoes in the microwave just like you would normally bake regular potatoes
2. When they are cool enough to handle, cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides gently into a large bowl
3. Place your empty skins in a shallow baking pan
4. Mash the baked sweet potato with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of clove to taste (you know how spicy or not spicy to make them for your family - don't be afraid to eyeball it!)
5. Fill your potato-skin shells with the mixture
**You can dress these up by using a pastry bag and frosting tip or you can just spoon it in
6. Brown slightly under the broiler
**If you want a little added crunch, sprinkle on chopped candied pecans or just eat them plain

Everyone who claimed to "not like sweet potatoes" tried these and loved them! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and remember what it's all about - being thankful for those who love us enough to stop everything they're doing to spend time with us. If you burn the turkey, scorch your pecan pie and drop the cranberry sauce on the floor - stop and remember what it's all about. Then, call Aunt Beverly and invite yourselves to dinner!

Tastin' Your Food

I think the Alabama game killed me! I really had a good thing going and now I am just not interested enough in the season to keep it going. So, if you were tired of seeing tailgate food, you're in luck!
The holidays are fast approaching and I will be putting lots of tasty stuff on here. However, we all get tired of turkey and dressing at some point, so here is a meal idea for when you don't feel like cooking - and you just feel like tasting! For a special occasion, Baxter went to Earth Fare and purchased three wildly different types of very good cheese, pate with black truffles, french bread and fresh fruits. He paired the meal with a really good bottle of Rose. C'est parfait! A note about Rose: if you have never tried this wonderful dry chilled wine, please don't think it in any way resembles White Zinfandel. A good bottle of Rose is delicious, crisp and complex. Look for one with a deep color and hints of cherry or citrus. I have had excellent bottles from California, France and other regions. This one is French. Every morsel of this type of meal is packed with flavor and will start your eyes rolling into the back of your head! If you want to eat it all, plan on it taking about 2 hours. This makes excellent grown-up picnic fare or a stay-home date night that will delight your taste buds.

Lovin' Them Sweet Potatoes

It is now November and I am so excited about all the good stuff we get to fix in the upcoming holiday season. I took pictures of this salad a few weeks ago because it was such an unusual way to use sweet potatoes. With all the sweet potatoes in our future, I thought I could share this cool idea. I don't always have french fries in my freezer but I always have Alexia Sweet Potato Fries there. They're quick, tasty and much more nutritious than your traditional fast-food variety of fry. We eat them with wings (they taste great in blue cheese dressing!) and in place of regular fries with any meal. I invented this use for them out of desperation when I literally had no food in the house! Sometimes the best tastes arrive this way. It's just your basic salad with grilled chicken, red bell peppers, chopped parsley and crispy sweet potato fries! For the dressing, I chose a Parsley Lime Vinaigrette from the Joy of cooking. All of these flavors melded so well together and the dressing was a perfect compliment! If you love sweet potatoes as much as I do, get excited about them this year and find some new and interesting ways to eat them. Not only are they so delicious; but they are so great for you too!