My Big Fat Greek Sweet Potato

I have a confession to make. I didn't make up the name for this recipe. Alexandra Ricardi did when I posted the picture on Facebook last week asking for suggestions. I don't know Alexandra other than the fact that she is a loyal CEK reader and also follows my Facebook page. And little does she know until she reads this post, I'm going to give her a signed copy of Carrie's Experimental Kitchen Cookbook for helping me out! :)

I guess it's true what they say how your taste buds change because I only started to like sweet potatoes within the last 5 years. Now I prefer them to eating regular potatoes, though the little one doesn't like them any way I've tried to prepare them so when purchasing them, I generally only buy 1-2 at a time. It was one of those nights when I didn't have a lot of time to prepare dinner (which happens about 98% of the time!) so I made these quick twice baked stuffed sweet potatoes to go with our meal using some of ingredients I had left from making other recipes. I also microwaved the potato instead of baking it to save some time and the entire dish was ready in under 30 minutes. If you wish to bake your potato, place it in a 350 degree oven for approximately 45-60 minutes depending on the size. 

I thought these sweet potatoes were delicious; however, hubby is not a huge fan of Feta cheese so to him they were just ok. They were so creamy when mashed that I didn't even need to use any butter; which also helped to cut down on the calories and fat. I served these with grilled chicken tenders and a tossed salad. 

My Big Fat Greek Sweet Potato
1 Large Sweet Potato
1/4 c. Feta Cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp. Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt (I used Chobani)
2 tsp. Fresh Parsley
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Scrub the potato skin under warm water; then pierce the skin in several places with a fork or tip of a sharp knife to allow steam to escape. Place the potato on a microwave safe dish lined with a napkin or paper towel and microwave on high 8-10 minutes or until the inside is soft when a knife is inserted into the middle. 
2. Remove the potato, cut in half lengthwise; then scoop out the flesh and place in a bowl. Place the skins in an oven safe dish. 
3. Add 2 tbsp. of the cheese, yogurt, parsley, salt and pepper to the potatoes and mash well. I used the back of the fork and whipped until it was creamy. 
4. Place the potato mixture back into the shells, sprinkle with the remaining Feta cheese and broil for 2-3 minutes until the cheese has started to melt. Serves 2. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 215, Carbs 38.4g, Fat 3.8g, Protein 8.1g, Fiber 6.3g, Sugar 12.2g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy! 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Leeks & Sage

I'm always looking for new potato recipes and I try to change it up a little bit each time for variety. Gab isn't really fond of sweet potatoes though the rest of us love them. I've tried SEVERAL ways to get her to eat them, and she'll try them, but she's not crazy about them. At least she's now trying new things, that's all I can ask for! 

I really enjoyed these potatoes and since the #1 searched for word here on the blog is "leeks", I wanted to use them in this recipe too. I love the subtle oniony flavor that leeks bring to a dish and sweet potatoes and sage just go hand in hand in my opinion. These were delicious and as you can see, very easy to prepare. Just be sure to wash the leeks well so as to remove all of the grit that is commonly found between the stalks. 

 Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Leeks & Sage
3 Medium Sweet Potatoes
1 tbsp. Fresh Sage, chopped
1 c. Leeks, white part only, chopped
1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Peel the potatoes, rinse under cold water; then cut into 2-3" chunks. 
2. Cut the tops off of the leeks, cut in half lengthwise then rinse well under cold water to remove any dirt; then chop. 
3. Add the potatoes, leeks, sage, oil and salt and pepper to a bowl and mix well to coat the potatoes. 
4. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes; turning once, until the potatoes have softened and browned. Serves 4. 


*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 220, Carbs 23.2g, Fat 14.2g, Protein 1.9g, Fiber 3.2g

Enjoy!

Cranberry Goat Cheese Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Happy Columbus Day to my American friends and Happy Thanksgiving to my friends in Canada! 

While out grocery shopping last week, I noticed a product I hadn't seen before. It was goat cheese covered in cranberries. It sounded interesting so I purchased it and couldn't wait to experiment with it. I had been trying to find something new to make with sweet potatoes and since my other twice baked sweet potato recipe still continues to be spread all throughout Pinterest months after posting, I wanted to try another twice baked version. I LOVED these potatoes and it reminded me of fall and thought this would make a great addition to our Thanksgiving menu. My family; however, did not particularly care for these, though to their defense, they are also not huge fans of goat cheese so you'll just have to be the judge. These potatoes were sweet and creamy and savory all rolled into one. 

Cranberry Goat Cheese Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
2 Sweet Potatoes
2oz. Cranberry Goat Cheese
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tbsp. Butter
2 tbsp. 2% Milk
1 tsp. Brown Sugar (I used Organic)

Directions:
1. Wash the potato skins using a vegetable brush and warm water. 
2. Place them on a microwave safe plate lined with paper towels and microwave 10-15 minutes, flipping the potatoes over halfway, or until the potato has softened (Use the tip of a sharp knife, it should go in and out smoothly). 
3. Remove the potatoes and carefully cut them in half. 
4. Scoop out the inside of the potato and place in a bowl while placing the skin shells in an oven safe baking dish or baking sheet. 
5. Add the goat cheese, cinnamon, butter, milk and sugar to the potatoes and mash. (I like to use an electric mixer so they're smooth). 
6. Place the potato mixture back into the potato skin shells and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Serves 4. 

*Nutritional Information: Calories 137, Carbs 17.1g, Fat 6.1g, Protein 4.2g, Fiber 3.3g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy! 

Mother's Day Brunch Ideas

Well, Mother's Day is this Sunday and I can't believe it's already May! I don't know why this holiday is deemed perfect for breakfast/brunch. I hate brunch (and breakfast for the most part). Why do Dad's get to have a nice BBQ huh? If it were up to me, I'd eat lunch/dinner food for breakfast. Oh well! So instead of me cooking for breakfast this year, my family and I will be heading into the city for the day. There is always so much to do and see and I'm sure we'll have a wonderful day just because we'll all be together. That to me is better than any gift they could ever possibly buy me (as long as they do it without any arguing or whining!) 


For those of you who LOVE breakfast, I have some breakfast items to share with you that you might like. Some I've posted before on the blog and others are new. I hope you like them! 

Sweet Potatoes & Chorizo (New)

2 Sweet Potatoes

2 oz. Spanish Chorizo, chopped

2 Scallions, chopped

1 tbsp. Canola Oil

In a pot, add potatoes, completely cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for approximately 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain the hot water and add cold water to the pot to bring down the temperature of the cooked potatoes. You may need to do this 2-3 times. Once cooled enough that you can handle them, carefully peel away and discard the skin of the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into 2-3” chunks. Heat oil in a large saute pan and add the chorizo and scallions. Saute for approximately 5 minutes, then add your potatoes. Allow to brown on each side, turning several times so that they do not stick; approximately 15 minutes. Serves 4. 

*Nutritional Information: Calories 146, Carbs 20g, Fat 7g, Protein 4g

Tomato, Basil & Fresh Mozzarella Frittata
4 Eggs
1/4 c. 2% Milk
1 tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
1 Roma Tomato, chopped
2 oz. Fresh Mozzarella, chopped
Cooking Spray

In a bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients. Heat a stainless steel saute pan over medium and spray generously with cooking spray (I use Olive Oil or Canola), making sure you get the sides. Add the egg mixture to the pan and push the eggs towards the center, allowing them to cook evenly. When most of the liquid has been cooked, place the entire pan in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes or until the eggs have set and are firm. CAREFULLY remove the pan from the oven with an oven mitt (YES, the handle will be hot!). Serves 2. 

 Copycat Cinnabon® Cinnamon Rolls

Adapted from Best Copycat Restaurant Recipes

Rolls

1/4 c. Warm Water

1 Package Dry Yeast

1 tbsp. Granulated Sugar

1/2 Package 3 1/2 oz. Vanilla Pudding Mix

1/4 c. Butter, melted

1 Egg

4 c. All-Purpose Flour

1/2 c. Butter, softened

1 c. Brown Sugar

2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

Combine the water, yeast and sugar in a bowl. Stir until dissolved then set aside. In a separate, large bowl, prepare the pudding mix according to package directions (remember you're only using half of the package so cut the milk in half also). Mix in the melted butter and egg. Next, add in the yeast mixture and blend together. Add the flour and knead until smooth. Place dough in a greased bowl (I just used cooking spray). Cover with a clean towel and let rise for 1 hour. Punch the dough down, cover again and let it rise for another hour. Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is a large rectangle shape about 1/2" thick. Spread the softened butter over the surface. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon then sprinkle over the top of the butter. Roll the dough towards you very tightly, forming a log. Slice the dough with a sharp knife every 2" and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet approximately 2" apart. Take hand and lightly press down on each roll. Cover and let rise for 1 hour until they double again. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove when they start to turn golden. Frost warm rolls with Cream Cheese Icing. Makes 12. 

Cream Cheese Icing

8oz. Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 c. Butter

1 tsp. Vanilla

3 c. Confectioner's Sugar

1 tbsp. Milk

Combine all ingredients with a mixer until smooth. 

Homemade Pancakes (Old recipe/New photo)
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 Tbsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt

3 Tbsp. Sugar

2 Eggs

2 Cups Milk

1/3 Cup Canola Oil

1 tsp. Vanilla

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. Heat your frying pan or griddle on medium heat. When you sprinkle a few flecks of water on your pan and the water 'dances' or jumps off the pan, then you know the pan is hot enough to cook on.  Spray the pan with cooking spray (or you can use butter) and pour about 1/4 cup of the batter onto the pan. Cook for approximately 2 minutes or until the pancake starts to bubble on the top and around the edges. Flip the pancake and cook the other side until it is golden and remove. Serves 8. 

*Tip: Heat your syrup in a pan or in the microwave in a microwave safe carafe or pitcher before pouring over your pancakes!

Mimosas (New) 

(just in case you've always wanted to make one and didn't know how..super easy!)

1 Bottle Champagne, chilled

Orange Juice

Fluted Champagne Glasses

Fill the glass halfway with orange juice then add the champagne to the top slowly right before serving. 

For other Breakfast ideas, click HERE! 

To all of the Moms (pet Moms count too!), Grandmothers, and Aunts, I wish you all a day filled with love. xoxo

Cheers! 

Twice Baked Lime Sweet Potatoes

When I made the Grilled Chicken in a Lime Frost Sea Salt Brine, I also made these incredibly light twice baked sweet potatoes as well. I added a tablespoon of shredded cheese on top to entice my little one to eat them (which worked by the way!), but you certainly can leave the cheese off for a complete vegetarian side dish. These were creamy and tangy with a hint of lime and accompanied our meal perfectly! I didn't have much time so I microwaved these but if you prefer the taste of an oven baked potato better, simply place in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for about 45-60 minutes. 

Twice Baked Lime Sweet Potatoes
2 Large Sweet Potatoes, skins washed
1 Lime, zest and juice
1 tsp. The Spice and Tea Exchange Lime Frost Sea Salt (or you can substitute regular sea salt)
1/2 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/4 c. Reduced Fat Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese

Place potatoes on a microwave safe dish lined with paper towels and pierce the skins with a fork.  Microwave the potatoes on high for 7 minutes, then turn them over for an additional 5-8 minutes until the potato is soft when pierced with a sharp knife. (Cooking time will depend on the size of the potato). Carefully cut the potato in half, lengthwise (it will be VERY hot!), scoop out the insides and add to a bowl. Save the potato skins. Next, add the lime zest and juice, salt and pepper and mash until smooth. You can use a hand masher or an electric one, which I prefer to get them extra creamy. Fill the potato skins with the mashed potato mixture and sprinkle 1 tbsp. of the cheese on top. Place in an oven safe dish or pan and bake at 425 degrees for approximately 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serves 4.  

Points+=3pts. per half

Enjoy!

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Shared at Amee's Savory Dish Fit and Fabulous Fridays 3/9/12

Japanese Sweet Potato Home Fries (Satsuma-imo)

Once again, during my weekly produce run, I came across these purple sweet potatoes they had labeled as Yama. I had to research them as I had never heard of them before. Most types of Japanese sweet potatoes are much less watery than the Western ones and their taste is often compared to that of chestnuts. They also vary in colour D yellow, orange, pink and even purple.The ones I purchased were purple on the outside and white on the inside. I decided to try to experiment with these over one weekend and decided to make home fries with them. My hubby instantly knew they weren't regular russet potatoes but loved the flavor that these potatoes had. In fact, we both preferred the home fries made with these potatoes better. They had a slightly sweet and nutty flavor and were absolutely incredible!

Japanese Sweet Potato Home Fries
(Satsuma-imo)
4 Small/Medium Yama Potatoes
1/4 c. Red Onion, chopped

1-2 tbsp. Canola oil, for frying

Peel potatoes, rinse then slice into 1/4" rounds. Place in a pot, cover with water then allow to soften; approximately 15-20 minutes. Heat oil in a large frying pan then add onions. Drain potatoes, pat dry then add to the pan. Allow to brown on each side. (We like ours well done so it took about 20 minutes to get a nice color on them). 
Serves 2. 

Enjoy!

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Shared at Newlyweds Blog 2/22/12

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Pumpkin Sage Cream Sauce

For the last several years, I have made some kind of pasta using this Pumpkin Sage Cream sauce recipe except this Thanksgiving where I decided to make soup as a starter instead. Well, I thought I was "ok" with it until I kept seeing cans of organic pumpkin in the supermarket on sale and REALLY inexpensive. So I decided I'd make this sauce, even if it wasn't a holiday. Isn't it funny how we only want to eat certain foods during a specific time of year? Why not treat yourself year-round, as long as it's in moderation of course since this isn't the healthiest recipe to eat!  


I had never made sweet potato gnocchi before, only the regular potato kind so when I decided to make this recipe this past weekend, I wanted to try and make it a little more healthy by using whole wheat flour. MISTAKE and kitchen experiment gone awry! Though it looked good, I had to add so much flour to make the dough non-sticky that it tasted horrible. SO, back to the drawing board. I tried it again, this time using all-purpose flour only and these are the gnocchi I know and love! The combination of the sweet potatoes, pumpkin and fresh sage flooded my brain with memories of fall, even though it was 20 something degrees outside, and the taste was even better than a regular pasta or ravioli, which is how I've made this before. 

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Pumpkin Sage Cream Sauce

For the Gnocchi:
2 Medium Sized SweetPotatoes
1 Egg, beaten
1 1/2-2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1c. Prepared Pumpkin Sage Cream Sauce (see recipe below)

Boil the potatoes with the skins on until they are fork tender. Do not cool the potatoes. Remove from the hot water one at a time, peel off the skins and using the tines from the back of a fork, gently mash the potatoes. Repeat for each potato, add to a bowl, then let cool 10-15 minutes. Form the potatoes into a ball shape, form a well and add in the egg and salt. Next add 1 cup of the flour and gently keep folding all of the ingredients together until it is all incorporated. The dough shouldn't be too sticky. If it is, gradually add more flour as needed. Cut into ten pieces. Take one of the pieces and turn it onto a floured board. Gently roll lengthwise forming a log shape the thickness of your thumb. From there, cut into eight pieces (about the size of the tip of your thumb to the first joint). Gently using the back of the fork, make an indentation on the top. Repeat for all ten segments of dough. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Gently drop in the Gnocchi. They are done when they start floating, approximately 3-5 minutes. Drain the water and put the Gnocchi in a serving bowl. Heat the sauce, pour over the Gnocchi and gently mix together. Serves 4.

*If you aren't going to cook them right away, place them in a single layer on a floured cookie sheet in the refrigerator up to 24 hours ahead of time.

Pumpkin Sage Cream Sauce

2 tbsp. Butter

2 tbsp. Fresh Sage, chopped

1-7 oz. Canned Pumpkin

1 pt. Heavy Cream

¼ c. Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated

Melt butter in a saucepan and add sage; simmer 1 minute allowing butter to turn slightly brown. Add pumpkin, heavy cream and cheese. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Makes 2 cups.

Enjoy! 

Sweet Potato Pancakes (latkes)

You can't have Beef Brisket without potato pancakes right? Well, that's how we like them. But this time, I wanted to try to make them with some sweet potatoes I had before they went bad. So I mixed them together with some russet potatoes and these tasted even better than the original potato pancakes I made several months ago. You do have to let them sit in the egg whites for about 5 minutes before frying so that it helps loosen up the potato. With the regular potatoes, it has more moisture so you have to squeeze out the extra liquid prior to adding the eggs, unlike the sweet potatoes. These were absolutely delicious and were even a little sweet. Some people like to eat these with sour cream or applesauce, but we just like them 'as is' with maybe a little au jus from the brisket. I'd definitely make these again. 

Sweet Potato Pancakes (latkes)

2 Sweet Potatoes, peeled
3 Small Russet Potatoes, peeled
4 Scallions, chopped
1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
3/4 c. Egg Whites (I used the liquid kind)
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Canola Oil, for frying

Using a food processor or hand grater, grate the potatoes and put in a large mixing bowl. Fold in the scallions, rosemary, egg whites, salt and pepper until they are all well incorporated. Heat approximately 1" of oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat and slowly drop 1 heaping kitchen soup spoon of the potato mixture and flatten slightly. Fry 2-3 minutes per side until they are lightly browned on both sides. Drain on paper towels or brown paper bags to absorb any excess oil. Makes 12 pancakes. 

Points+=2 pts (without frying)

Enjoy!

Copycat Recipe Week: Day 7-Jalapeno & Sweet Potato Fritters

Today is Day 7 and the final day of my Copycat Recipe Week. I hope you have enjoyed getting to know some of these other great food bloggers as much as I have had trying out their fantastic recipes. They're all on Facebook too so if you go like them, tell them I sent you over. 


The last recipe (but certainly not the least!) comes from Bia at Bia's Rich and Sweet Kitchen. The other night, I was in a lime/cilantro type mood again (recipe to follow next week) and I wanted a side dish to go with what I was making. These sweet potato fritters were incredible and unbelievably light. We don't like a lot of heat in our food so I did cut down on the amount of jalepeno peppers and onions and I added a little bit of cilantro, to blend the flavors with my other menu items that evening, but everything else remained the same. Thanks for a great recipe idea Bia!

Jalapeno & Sweet Potato Fritters
1 Large or 2 Small Sweet Potato
1 Small Jalapeno Pepper, chopped (measured about 1 tbsp.)
1/2 c. Red Onion, chopped
1 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
2 + 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 Egg, beaten
3/4 c. Cornmeal (I used the yellow kind)
1/4 c. All-Purpose Flour
1/4 c. Water


Prick sweet potatoes with a knife or fork and microwave for about 10 minutes or until inside is soft. Peel potatoes while warm, add the insides to a bowl and mash them with a fork. Set them aside. In a frying pan, heat 2 tbsp. of the olive oil and cook the onions over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add jalapenos and cilantro and saute for another 3 minutes. In a medium bowl mix flour, cornmeal, salt, paprika and baking powder. Add jalapeno/onion mixture, egg and water to sweet potatoes and mix it well. Add dry ingredients and mix it all together. Make balls, about 1 heaping soup spoon worth out of the mixture. Preheat the oven to 425F. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan and lightly fry the fritters on all sides. (I flattened mine so they were flat) Grease a cookie sheet. Place lightly fried fritters on cookie sheet and bake them on preheated oven for 10 minutes. They should be firm and slightly puffed. Makes 8 fritters. 


Weight Watchers Points+ Value Per Serving = 4


Enjoy!

Buttermilk Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter & Sage

I really like sweet potatoes but I never used to. I guess my taste buds are changing as I get older because they have such a nice flavor and I actually prefer them over regular potatoes now. I had some buttermilk left from when I made the Red Velvet Cake on Sunday and I didn't want it to go to waste so I used that in place of the milk to mash these potatoes. 

I am also a popcorn fanatic and tend to eat it at least 3 times a week for my evening snack, but I don't like the microwave kind. I prefer the old fashioned method of cooking it on top of the stove in a pot with a little bit of Canola oil. Then, this is the best part, I brown the butter so it gets a nutty flavor and drizzle that on my popcorn. I even have  a special bowl that's just for popcorn. It is a 1970 something rust colored Tupperware plastic bowl. (It looks pretty good for being over 30+ years old, don't you think?! lol) It was my Mom's and when I went off to college, the bowl followed me. It has a few burn marks in it and the outside rim is cracked, but it will and always be known as "The Popcorn Bowl". My oldest daughter is already laying claim to it and fights me for it whenever we make our snack(I got her hooked on it too). She only has 2 more years until she's off to college and has already informed me that this bowl is coming with her...we'll just have to see about that now won't we! :)


Anyway, back to the sweet potatoes. So the browned butter made me think of how good that nuttiness would taste in these sweet potatoes and it was. I melted the butter, then let it simmer until it started to foam and turn slightly brown, careful not to burn it. Then add the chopped sage and buttermilk so that it is slightly heated before you add it to the cooked potatoes so that it doesn't curdle. These were delicious and the family loved them!

Buttermilk Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter & Sage
2 Large Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1/2 c. Low Fat Buttermilk
4 tbsp. Butter
1 tbsp. Fresh Sage, chopped
1 tbsp. Light Brown Sugar
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste


Add potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Drain water. While the potatoes are cooking, melt butter in a small saucepan until it starts to foam and turn light brown (it will also start to smell nutty). Add the sage, brown sugar and buttermilk and simmer over low heat for 1-2 minutes; just until the buttermilk heats up. Add the buttermilk mixture to the cooked potatoes and blend together with an electric mixer until mixture is creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 4.


Enjoy!

St. Patty's Day in June? Dijon Encrusted Corned Beef, Crown Royal Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Irish Soda Bread

I know what you're thinking. Who eats Corned Beef when it's not St. Patrick's Day? Well,  this year when purchasing my Corned Beef for our annual dinner on March 17th, I had forgotten that I had already bought one a week prior and wound up with two. So I froze one to use at a later date. I'm not a huge fan of the "boiled meal" and don't like cabbage, so a few years ago, I came up with this variation of the old standard and because it is one of my picky eaters favorite meals, we do tend to have it several times a year. 

Dijon Encrusted Corned Beef

5-6 lb. Corned Beef Brisket

¼ Cup Grey Poupon® Dijon Mustard

Rinse corned beef off and place fat side up in a large pot of water; making sure to completely cover the meat. Bring the water to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 3 hours; adding water as needed to cover the top of the brisket. Remove meat from the water, trim any visible fat and place fat side up in a baking dish. Add Dijon mustard to the top of the meat and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until the mustard is browned. Let cool 5-10 minutes, and then slice diagonally across the grain. 

I get tired of eating regular, plain old mashed potatoes. And..since I only had one potato in the house and several sweet potatoes, I figured I'd make mashed sweet potatoes instead. I have only made mashed sweet potatoes a few times but the recipe I use is more of a casserole style with heavy cream and pecans that I make for Thanksgiving and I wanted something a little less fattening. So I went searching for a new recipe online and came across one for Bourbon Sweet Potatoes; which coincidentally also had a ton of fattening ingredients in it. Then I decided that if Bourbon goes well with them, why not Crown Royal (and we always have Crown Royal!). So I tweaked the recipe I found, reducing the amount of butter, using 2% milk (which is a staple in this house over whole milk), and threw in some brown sugar and cinnamon for good measure. I love when my little kitchen experiments come together and they taste good. 

Crown Royal Mashed Sweet Potatoes

1 ½ lbs. Fresh Sweet Potatoes

3 Tbsp. Crown Royal Whiskey

2 Tbsp. Butter                                 

¼ Cup 2% Milk

2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp. Kosher Salt

Put cut potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender with a fork. Drain water. Add Crown Royal, butter, milk, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Blend together with an electric mixer until mixture is creamy. Serves 4.

Well, I didn't actually make the Irish Soda Bread on this day, but I have made it often enough that I DO have the correct measurements for everything. I just thought it might make a great addition to share with this meal in case anyone wanted to try it out for themselves. Growing up, I never used to like this bread. It always seemed dry whenever I had it out.  But about 20 years ago, when I was still working in the food business, our pastry chef made this Irish Soda Bread that was out of this world! It is so moist and I probably put on about 5 pounds the week of St. Patrick's Day every year because of it. I make these loaves of bread, slice them thick but yet thin enough to fit in my toaster, toast them until they're golden brown and add salted butter. (Not the healthiest breakfast but I do only make this once a year!). I did make some slight changes to the original recipe since I don't particularly like a lot of raisins or caraway seeds, but if you like them simply add another 1/2 Cup Raisins and 1 1/2 tsp. Caraway Seeds to this recipe. 

Irish Soda Bread

7 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar

2 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Salt

1 Cup Raisins

1 Stick Salted Butter, softened

2 1/2 Cups Low Fat Buttermilk

Sift dry ingredients using only 6 cups of the flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the raisins and buttermilk. Mix with your hands until well incorporated and turn onto a lightly floured board; gradually using the remaining 1 cup of flour. Kneed 10-12 times. (The dough shouldn't be too sticky. If it is, gradually add a little more flour as needed). Split into 2 round loaves and cut a deep X into the top. Lightly spray a sheet pan with cooking spray and place the loaves. Bake at 350°F for approximately 50 minutes or until when you stick a knife in the center, it comes out clean. 

Enjoy!