Bare Bones With Style: Sweet Potatoes

We hope you've been enjoying our latest series on budget dishes -- Bare Bones With Style.


Today's rendition focuses on the humble sweet potato. Yes, some people call it "yams;" the verdict is out on whether the terms are synonymous -- or different. (The Brick, Mr. Southern Gentleman From 'Noth Kay-o-lahna,' says no, absolutely not -- but I've heard people disagree with him.)

Whatever you want to call it, this tuber is not only delicious -- but one of the more nutritious carbs.
     Filling, too.

Want to make a burger, pork chop or chicken breast special?

Add a pile of crunchy, garlicky sweet potato fries alongside.


SWEET POTATO FRIES

1 sweet potato per person
olive oil
dried garlic and salt
          (or garlic salt -- I use a steak rub that includes garlic, salt and fresh-ground pepper)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice sweet potatoes thinly lengthwise -- the thinner the slice, the more crisp the finished product will be. Generously grease a cooking sheet with olive oil; add the potato slices and turn over to evenly distribute oil. Salt evenly.
     Bake for approx. 30 min., until fries are lightly browned and crispy. (They may take less time -- or more, depending on your oven. Cook the meat alongside in a separate pan.) Serve right away with barbecue sauce or ketchup.


For New Year's Day this year, instead of Hoppin' John, I tried something new, adapted from a recipe in Dale Talde's wonderful Asian-American. This guy has a restaurant in New York City -- and an irreverent pleasure in mixing all sorts of different cuisines together. The results are something wonderful.




He takes cubes of sweet potato and drizzles them with an unusual sauce, then skewers and grills them. I did it slightly different, as a stir-fry. 
     Trust me -- don't worry about the ingredient mix. Just make it. This is absolutely delicious. 


DALE'S NEW YEAR YAM FRY

3 large sweet potatoes (fine, yams) -- between 2 1/2 - 3 lbs
4 slices bacon
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sliced leeks (Dale uses shallots - a mild onion would be okay, too)
1/4 cup sherry or rice vinegar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup soy sauce

Boil sweet potatoes. (This will take about 30-45 min.) Cool slightly, then peel and cut into chunks. (Save the peels for your chickens...)
    Fry the bacon; take the slices out and drain them, but leave the grease in the pan. Add the butter, leeks and sweet potato chunks, and saute. (About 10 min.) Add sauce ingredients and stir gently until sauce thickens.
    Pile the sweet potato mixture in a deep bowl; make sure to drizzle extra sauce over. Serve with the crumbled bacon on top. Note: this would serve 3-4 as a main dish, but is pretty concentrated. It could easily be stretched to serve 6-7 as a side dish. 

Try either of these with a bowl of soup and a crisp green salad for a filling, healthy meal.

Next time:  Kids Favorites

Bare Bones With Style: Elegant Eggs

How many protein items do you know that are cheap (especially in the spring), quick to fix -- and delicious?  Eggs fit the bill, from souffles nice enough for gracious dining, to breakfast dishes you'll be proud to serve at nighttime, too.

Eggs - a hidden pleasure

Starting the lineup:  Susan's Breakfast Casserole, from About.com's Food department. Essentially it's a savoury bread pudding. But your guests will call it tasty.

SUSAN'S BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

• 4 slices bread
• 12 to 16 ounces bacon or sausage, cooked and drained
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard

Start your oven at 350 degrees. Break up the bread in a greased 9 x 13 pan; add meat and cheese, mixing well. Stir eggs, milk and mustard, then pour over all. Bake for 35-45 min., and serve hot. (4-6 servings)

Another option: quiche. Serve it hot or even lukewarm, with a crisp salad.


A Farmers Fry will make you think of Hobbitses, third breakfasts...and plates steaming in the morning sunshine. This rendition is an American version of what the British would refer to as a 'mixed grill' -- plus eggs. Sprinkle with parsley or marjoram for contrast, and serve with sliced oranges and hot coffee. 

FARMERS FRY

2-3 potatoes
1 onion
1 cup mushrooms (or half of a small can, drained)
2 slices bacon
4 eggs
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Microwave potatoes 4-5 min. in microwave. While they're cooking, chop onion, bacon and mushrooms. Start frying in a hot pan; when the microwave dings, slice the potatoes and add to the sizzling mixture. Press with the back of a spatula, then turn the heat down to med. and cook for 5 min. without turning. Carefully stir, and cook an additional 5 min. Add eggs -- stir in (cooks more quickly), or carefully break eggs in, one at a time, cover and cook 5 more min.
    Sprinkle cheese over...or wait until you've spooned the fry onto plates. (Looks more decorative that way.) 2-4 servings.

And finally, a cheese souffle that will make your guests swoon.  Warning: it collapses quickly, so serve asap. This version comes from Julia Child via Epicurious.

CLASSIC CHEESE SOUFFLE

• 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• 4 large egg yolks
• 5 large egg whites
• 1 cup (packed) coarsely grated Gruyère cheese (about 4 ounces)

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Butter 6-cup (1 1/2-quart) soufflé dish. Add Parmesan cheese and tilt dish, coating bottom and sides. Warm milk in heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until mixture begins to foam and loses raw taste, about 3 minutes. (Do not allow mixture to brown). Remove saucepan from heat; let stand 1 minute. Pour in warm milk, whisking until smooth. Return to heat and cook, whisking constantly until very thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in paprika, salt, and nutmeg. Add egg yolks 1 at a time, whisking to blend after each addition. Scrape mixture into large bowl. Cool to lukewarm.
3. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in another large bowl until stiff but not dry. Gently fold 1/4 of whites into the first mixture; fold in remaining whites  while gradually sprinkling in Gruyère cheese. Transfer batter to prepared dish.
4. Place dish in oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 375 F. Bake until soufflé is puffed and golden brown on top and center moves only slightly when dish is shaken gently, about 25 minutes. (Do not open oven door during first 20 minutes). Serve immediately.  (4-6 servings)     

(And here's what to do with the eggshells...)

 Next time: I Yam What I Yam  (Sweet Potatoes)

Bare-Bones with Style: Pumpkin

Happy New Year...and welcome to the start of a brand-new series, Bare Bones with Style. We're starting this series with a surprise ingredient:

       Pumpkin!

I'd always thought of this squash-y item as something for pies and muffins. But it turns out that pumpkin makes a slightly-sweet, mellow and nutritious addition to all sorts of main dishes. Starting with soup...

Donna Groesbeck, a good friend in Cheyenne, WY, fed me a bowl of this one tired evening. It was full-flavored and delicious...and has remained that way, every time I've made it. It also has an amazing ability to adapt to whatever you've got in the refrigerator. Thanks so much, Donna...

DONNA'S PUMPKIN CURRY SOUP
(adapted from LDS Living)

4 tablespoons butter  (I usually use 1 tablespoon)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, pressed (or 1 teaspoon dried garlic)
2 cups canned pumpkin -- or puree
4 cups water
6 chicken bouillon cubes
3 chicken breasts, cubed (I've used as few as one - or substituted a couple of boneless thighs)
1/2 - 1 teaspoon curry powder
pinch nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups half-and-half   (or substitute whole milk, or sour cream)
1 1/2 - 3 cups cooked rice   (great for using up leftover rice)

Saute onions and garlic in butter for a few minutes, then add everything but cream and rice. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add cream and rice to pot and stir-- Or I often put a large tablespoon or two of rice in the bottom of each bowl, pour in the hot soup, and top with a spoonful of sour cream. Makes enough for 4, plus a little leftover for seconds.
      And they'll want it -- this soup is THAT good.


Another interesting recipe, also from LDS Living:

PUMPKIN SLOPPY JOES

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 finely chopped onion
12 ounces chili sauce
1/2 cup pumpkin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce

Brown the beef and onion, then add everything else. Simmer for an hour, then spoon onto buns to serve. Makes 6-8 sloppy joes.

*optional -- but if you want it, mix 4 tablespoons cinnamon, 4 teaspoon nutmeg, 4 teaspoons ground ginger and 3 teaspoons allspice. Good for pies.
     A variation that makes a smaller amount: 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon cloves.

Next on Bare Bones with Style:   Eggs, Eggs, The Cackleberry Fruit

Introducing A New Series: Bare Bones With Style!

    Hopefully you're enjoying your holiday rest...and starting to plan for the new year.


We've got a start for you:
     A whole series of great dishes that are budget-priced, easy to make...
          and best of all,

                   DELICIOUS.

Bare Bones with Style

Come back soon -- we'll be posting these regularly in coming weeks.

Merry Christmas!

And it came to pass, that the Virgin delivered a Child...


Christ the Lord, our Savior. 

May your Christmastime be restful and illuminating. 

Seven Fish Dish Alert!

We've started up the annual fussing for the Seven Fish Dish celebration our family enjoys on Christmas Eve.

Go on over to our sister blog, Christmas Goodies, and take a look!

A New Way to Use Zucchini -- Pie!

(This post ran recently on my regular blog, A Brick Looks At Life. )

I could use a break. Both Monday and Tuesday were jammed tight with reports and e-mail...and NOT the Cheyenne appraisals I was supposed to be working on. (Sorry, ladies -- I will get them out today!)

Friend Sharon brought this unusual pie over for dinner recently. I was amazed at how much it tasted like apple pie. She bakes it with sugar substitute (Splenda) for her husband, who's diabetic. But it would be delicious with regular sugar, too.

And yes, it uses that scourge (or gift) of the summer: zucchini. 

 

Here's the recipe. Simple, huh?

ZUCCHINI PIE

Peel, core and slice 8 cups zucchini. Mix with 2/3 cup lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 1/14 cups sugar or Splenda. Simmer till zucchini is tender. Mix in cornstarch with water to thicken.

Pour into a pastry pie crust, and top with a second crust. Bake 350 degrees 30-35 min., until lightly brown. Serves about 8.

Could you add other fruit, like rhubarb, with this? I'm betting you could. It might be worth experimenting.

Yum.