Two Frugal Chicks

Twice baked sweet potatoes….what a revelation.  Maybe all of you foodies out there have thought of this or heard of this already, but I have not.  It just occurred to me the other day, if you can make a twice baked potato out of a regular russet potato, why couldn’t you with a sweet potato?  And what a fun way to serve sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving.  So, I experimented and tried four different versions:  Sweet potato souffle with pecans and coconut, traditional brown sugar and marshmallows, sweet potatoes with orange juice and orange zest and a twice baked sweet potato using all the same ingredients that are in a regular russet twice baked potato. Remember that one sweet potato serves two people, and I tried to pick out the more round potatoes instead of the longer, skinnier ones.  Each of the recipes below are for four whole sweet potatoes.

Start by washing and scrubbing the outside of your sweet potatoes.  Prick each potato many times with a fork (apparently I was lacking in this step as one of my potatoes exploded in the microwave). Cook for 10 minutes in the microwave, check to make sure they are fork tender.   If not, put back in the microwave and cook in one minute increments, checking for tenderness after each minute.

 

Let them cool so you can handle them.  Cut in half and using a spoon, scoop out all the flesh.  Use a fork to mash the sweet potato flesh to the consistency you like; a little chunky or perfectly smooth.

Sweet Potato Souffle
This was the overall winner of our “official taste test”.
To your scooped out sweet potato flesh, add:
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. melted butter
1 egg, beaten
1/2 C. milk or cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all the ingredients and refill the sweet potato skins.  Mix and sprinkle on top of each potato:
1 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. flour
1 C. chopped pecans
1/3 C. shredded coconut
1/3 C. melted butter

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Traditional
This recipe came in second; who doesn’t love that traditional gooey marshmallow and brown sugar topping?  To your scooped out sweet potato flesh add:
1/2 C. melted butter
1/2 C. milk or cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix all the ingredients and refill the sweet potato skins.  On top of each potato sprinkle brown sugar, drizzle with melted butter, then place as many mini marshmallows as your potato can handle.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Twice Baked Sweet Potato
I love, love, love twice baked potatoes with regular russet potatoes.  This recipe uses all the same ingredients and flavors with that little sweet potato surprise.  I really liked these.  To your scooped out sweet potato flesh add:
1-1/2 C. sour cream
1/2 C. melted butter
1/2 C. chopped fresh chives
Salt and pepper

Mix all the ingredients and refill the sweet potato skins.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.   When finished baking, add a dollop of sour cream on top and sprinkle with additional chives (bacon and cheddar cheese would be great, too ~ wish I’d thought of that!)

Sweet Potatoes with Orange Essence
These were the least favorite of the judges (my husband and his friend, and the kids) but we are pretty traditional folks.  Next time, I think I’d add a little ginger.  To your scooped out sweet potato flesh add:
1/2 C. melted butter
1/2 C. orange juice
1 tsp. orange zest

Mix all the ingredients and refill the sweet potato skins.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes..

Seriously, it doesn’t get any easier than this. Mix all the ingredients together.  Stir in chocolate chips and bake. Super moist, chocolately and if you serve it while still slightly warm, your guests will volunteer to be your slaves for life.  The original recipe doesn’t call for any type of frosting or glaze, but since I can’t leave well enough alone, I made a chocolate glaze which really made it decadent.

INGREDIENTS:

1 box yellow cake mix
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
4 eggs
1/2 C. oil
1 1/2 C. water
1 C. chocolate chips

Mix all the ingredients except the chocolate chips with an electric mixer until well blended.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Bake in a well greased and floured bundt pan for 1 hour at 350 degrees.  Cool for 10 minutes then turn out onto a plate.

GLAZE:
1 C. heavy cream
1/4 C. light corn syrup
8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Bring cream and corn syrup to a simmer over medium heat.  Take off heat and stir in chocolate chips.  Let stand till melted, about 8 minutes.  Add vanilla and stir until the glaze is smooth.  Cool to room temperature.  Pour over cake so it drizzles down the sides.

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My son had been out of school for most of last week with strep throat.  One of the assignments he missed in school and needed to make up over the weekend was to make a meatball sub for his Creative Cooking class.  I love that he is taking this class.  I think every guy needs to know his way around the kitchen. Let me tell you, this kid made some dee-licious meatball subs.  Here’s what he did….

Meatballs
1 pound hamburger
1pound hot italian sausage
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. fresh parsley, chopped
1 egg
2 slices bread
1/2 C. cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, put all the ingredients, except the bread and cream.  Place the two slices of bread in a small bowl and pour the cream over.  Let the bread and cream sit for a minute or two until the bread has absorbed all the cream.  Break up the bread with your fingers and add it to the bowl with the other ingredients.  Using clean hands, mix the ingredients together lightly till just combined.  Don’t overwork the meat mixture.

Using an ice cream scoop for uniform size, scoop a ball of meat into your hands and lightly pat into a ball.  Place on a baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes or until done.

Tomato Sauce
1 medium onion, shredded
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 T. balsamic vinegar
2 – 28oz cans crushed tomatos
1 – 6oz container fresh basil, chopped
2 T. grated Parmesan-reggiano cheese

In a large pot on medium heat, add 2 T. olive oil. Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook for an additional minute.  (I think this is the secret to this great sauce!)

Pour in (or in our case, dump in so it goes everywhere) the crushed tomatos.  

Add the basil and parmesan/reggiano cheese.  When the meatballs are done, add them, too.

Let the meatballs simmer on low in the sauce for as long as you can to flavor the sauce.  When you just can’t stand the delicious aroma anymore and have to dig in, split a french roll in half.  Dig out a little of the bread on each side.  Place a piece of provolone cheese on each roll and broil till melted.  Arrange 3 or 4 meatballs on each roll, spoon on some sauce, then top with mozzarella cheese and broil again until the cheese is melted.

And this is what you get…..

Cheesy. Yummy. Messy.

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