Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili

We had guests over for dinner earlier this week. I had committed to chili because it's quick, easy and relatively inexpensive. Of course I began Pinteresting chili ideas because I was sick of my old chili recipe. I stumbled upon a vegetarian sweet potato chili. I made two kinds of chili for our guests just incase the vegetarian one wasn't very good.
Well this sweet potato chili was AMAZING!!! Even my husband commented that it was, "really good." The guests like it too. It's my new favorite chili recipe. It's very traditional in the sense of chili with beans and corn, only it's a bit on the sweeter side. Give it a try this winter. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Your heart will thank you too!

 INGREDIENTS:
1/2 of a red onion, diced
2, 28 oz cans diced tomatoes, don't drain
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can dark red kidney beans, rinsed
1 can corn, drained
2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped into about 1/2 pieces
1/2 of a 6oz can tomato paste (you can freeze the left over paste and use it for later; see this blog)
2-3 large garlic cloves, pressed or finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp sea salt (or table salt)
1 tsp sugar (this helps to counteract all the acidity from the tomatoes)
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder (do not omit! This is the secret ingredient that will make it so good.)

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS: (don't forget to add these to your grocery list)
- shredded cheese
- sour cream
- cut up avocado

1. Throw it all in the crock pot or slow cooker. Stir it well to combine all ingredients. Cook on low for 8 hours or 4 hours on high, until sweet potatoes are soft. If you are around give it a stir to make sure the sweet potatoes are all getting cooked. If not, don't worry too much.

Pumpkin Sweet Potato Casserole

Every year we have "Friendsgiving" with people from church. Our church does food well; I'm talking heaven-quality. Seriously. Someone had brought this version of sweet potato casserole and I immediately sought out who made it in order to get the recipe. It's light, yet filling. It's sweet, but not too sweet. It's just right. I added my own touches to it like the pumpkin and cinnamon. The pumpkin can totally be omitted and you don't need to change anything else. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

5-6 medium sweet potatoes
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup canned pumpkin (optional)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 stick butter (4 TBSP)
1 cup chopped pecans

1. This first step can be done ahead of time; the day before or the morning of. Preheat oven to 400. Wash sweet potatoes and poke all over with a fork. Lay foil over a baking sheet (for easy clean up) and place sweet potatoes in oven for 1 hour or until soft. Allow to cool until you can handle them.

2. In a large bowl scoop out flesh of sweet potatoes. Add salt, cinnamon, pumpkin, egg and vanilla. Mix well with electric mixer. Grease a 9x13 pan. Transfer sweet potato mixture to 9x13.

3. In a medium bowl place flour and brown sugar. By 1 TBSP increments add butter. With a pastry cutter or a fork, mix all together to form a clumpy topping. Add pecans and mix well. Spoon this mixture on top of sweet potatoes. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes, until heated through.

Whole Roasted Chicken

 I made my first ever whole roasted chicken and it turned out beautifully! I made up my own recipe (yes this is an original) based on a few websites and a friend's recipe. I'm sure it would taste great with turkey if you aren't making stuffing. Don't forget about step #6 - making your own broth from all the hard work you put into your dinner. (It's actually not that much work, but people won't realize it!)

INGREDIENTS:
1 TBSP unsalted butter, room temp
1 lemon

Rub chicken with butter, add salt and pepper and lemon zest

salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 celery stalk cut into large slices
1/2 of an apple, diced
1-2 sprigs rosemary (optional)
3-4 cloves garlic
1 med. sweet potato, peeled and chopped
2 med. yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped

1. Get out a roasting pan and preheat the oven to 475. Remove all the gross stuff from inside the chicken. Give that chicken a rinse under cool water. Place in the roasting pan.

2. Rub the chicken with butter. I just use my hand to rub it in. Don't melt the butter first, but it should be at room temp. After thoroughly washing your hands, zest a lemon over the chicken letting it fall where it may. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze some of the juice over the chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and garlic powder.

3. Next work on what you will stuff the chicken with. Stuffing the chicken with herbs, apples, and celery help to keep it moist and add a wonderful flavor. So take the squeezed lemon halves, celery, rosemary, apple slices, and garlic and just shove it in the cavity of the chicken until it's all stuffed. Pour about 1-2 cups of water into the roasting pan.

4. Once the oven is preheated place on the bottom rack of the oven for 12 minutes. This helps to seal in the juices and moisture. Then reduce heat to 375 and bake. One website says to cook a chicken for 20 minutes for every pound. I cooked a 5.5lb chicken and cooked it for about an hour and 45 minutes. When there is about 45-50 minutes left of cook time add potatoes, making sure that there is still water at the bottom of the pan for the potatoes to cook in.

5. When a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees behind the thigh or when the juices run clear, it's done. Let it sit out in the pan or on a cutting board for 10 minutes to let the juices collect. Slice it up, scoop out the potatoes and serve! Your mom will be proud!

6. Save the carcass to make your own chicken broth. It's SO easy! Just add lots of water to the roasting pan with the carcass in the pan. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 1-2 hours. Throw out the carcass. Pour the broth over a strainer into a BPA free container, preferably glass. Seal and refrigerate. I read on Martha Stewart's website to leave the thick fat layer on top until you use it. It helps to seal in the flavor. She just knows everything! Use within 2-3 days or freeze.

Tomato-Cheddar Egg Strata with Broccoli

     This strata is perfect for a brunch, or even Christmas morning because you make it the night before. It doesn't take long to assemble either.


INGREDIENTS:
3/4 of a french baguette, cubed
1 handful grape tomatoes, quartered
1 cup broccoli, chopped small
8 eggs
3 cups milk
salt & pepper for tasting
4 oz ricotta cheese (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Grease a 9x13 with butter, but don't preheat oven because you are cooking it either the next day or in a few hours.
2. Place chopped bread in the bottom of 9x13 pan until the whole bottom is completely covered. Sprinkle tomatoes and broccoli and evenly distribute among the bread.
3. In a large bowl whisk eggs and milk. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over bread, tomato and broccoli, pressing down on the bread with a spoon so it is all soaked by the eggs. Using a large spoon, place dollops of ricotta cheese on top of mixture, about 6 or so dollops or as much as you like. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.
4. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Remove from fridge and let sit out, uncovered for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 1 hour or until a knife comes out clean. Let sit for 5 minutes; cut and serve.

NOTE: Bacon would make a wonderful addition to this strata, but then again, when isn't bacon welcome in the kitchen? Just cook it first and chop. (375 in the oven for about 12-15 minutes depending on how crispy you like it.)

Meatballs

Family Circle magazine is sending me free issues thanks to the dying market of flipping through pages. I came across a recipe for meatballs and was inspired to make them. They turned out really good! What I love about them is that they make a lot so you can set aside about two other portions in the freezer for a quick meal another night.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb package of ground beef
1 lb package of ground turkey
1 large egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
olive oil

1. Heat a large skillet on the stove top and pour in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Meanwhile in a large bowl combine all ingredients with your hand until well combined. Form into small balls, maybe golf ball size. Brown the meatballs in the skillet in batches, and heat until cooked through. Set aside and cook all the meatballs. Makes about 3-4 dozen.
2. Use what you need for dinner and freeze the rest in batches.

Cinnamon Banana Cake

What do you do with bananas that have turned brown? I prefer to eat them when they are pure yellow with a hint of green. So do the brown bananas just sit in your fruit bowl hoping to be eaten by someone? I have a great recipe for you so you don't have to waste produce just because it's over-ripe. And the best part is that it makes plenty for a brunch, or dessert for guests. Here's a banana bread recipe for those over-rippened bananas.

INGREDIENTS:

2 sticks butter, soft or room temp

3/4 cup sugar

2 very ripe bananas (the more brown the better)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 pint (2 cups) plain greek yogurt

FILLING:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 TBSP cinnamon

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 pan. In a large mixing bowl beat butter, sugar, bananas, eggs, and vanilla with an electric mixer until combined.

2. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt with a whisk. Blend well. Slowly add dry mixture to wet while beating on low with an electric mixer. Add in yogurt and mix well. Next make filling; in a small bowl combine brown sugar, cinnamon, chocolate chips and walnuts.

3. In a greased 9x13 layer batter and filling two times. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Chocolate Snack Cake with Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting

Are you looking for a moist, simple chocolate cake? Well I've got a cake for you! One great things is that there are NO EGGS in the entire recipe! This is my friend, Colleen's recipe and the frosting is from allrecipes.com. I am just simply passing on delishiousness from my kitchen to yours!

CAKE INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup cold water
1 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Heat oven to 350 and grease a bundt pan. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients; flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Whisk until well blended. Add oil, water, vinegar and vanilla. Whisk again until well blended. Pour into pan and bake for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
2. Let the cake sit for 10 minutes then turn out to cool.


SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 TBSP butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1-1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar

In a small sauce pan melt butter and chocolate chips; let cool. Blend in sour cream, vanilla and salt. By the 1/4 cup gradually add confectioners sugar whisking well after each 1/4 cup. Continue to add confectioners sugar by the 1/4 until you have the consistency of frosting; it will be no more than 1 1/4 cups. Frost the cake when it is well cooled.
Let sit on a covered cake stand on the counter or table for 2-3 days, then discard. Make sure you eat it and share with friends of course!