Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2013/01/31.shtml


I tried making sweet potato fries once, and they didn't turn out. I'm not sure why, but they were awful. This recipe was the opposite of that. With the Mr.'s stroke and bypass surgery, I am always on the lookout for healthy things, and we both like sweet potatoes. I am talking about baking them, and putting a dab of butter, cinnamon and a sprinkle of brown sugar. I have never gone the savory route, so when I saw salt and pepper, I was eager to see if I liked it. I figured that I could sprinkle cinnamon and brown sugar on them if I didn't, but that wasn't necessary. Sweet potatoes are a powerhouse of good stuff like vitamins B6, C and D, plus iron, and magnesium, the anti-stress mineral, and I don't know about you, but I could use more of that in my diet.

They are a bit like cutting a rutabaga when they're raw, so a sharp knife and paying attention is important. I tried to get them as even as possible, but we all know how wonky they are. Not uniform in shape and size makes it a little difficult to cut uniform slices. Next time I am going to buy large ones and cut the ends off, because on the thinner ends they got a little well done. 

It really took very little oil to coat them, and even though there are healthy oils, moderation is always key. I used a coarse sea salt, because I like that bit of crunch from it. And I also only did one potato, because I am the only one here right now, and I would have eaten more than I should if they were there. 

Another thing worth mentioning is to make sure you don't crowd them on the pan. They tend to steam instead of bake and brown, which brings me back to one of the reasons my first batch didn't turn out well.

I tried these with Heinz Simply Ketchup. I LOVE this...it does not contain high fructose corn syrup, that insidious ingredient that has become a staple in so many foods. Not good for us, in any way. Ever. I also tried spicy mustard with horseradish. YUM to both! I will be doing these again and with some experience trimming them, I think they'll be even better!

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

Apple Spice Dump Cake

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2013/01/24.shtml

I had a serious crave for dessert, and when I made this, I knew I was in T.R.O.U.B.L.E. My Mr. is on work travel, so there is no one in the house but me. This recipe and a container of vanilla bean ice cream would have meant three meals a day of it. Seriously. It is that good. And I agree with Mrs. Sundberg, canned pie filling might not be as good as homemade, but it really didn't seem to matter with this. I used the store brand, because it was the only kind of apple they had, and to my surprise, when I opened the cans, there were big slices of apple, all the way to the top. Not mostly the goo, like I had expected, but thick, whole slices. It was labeled 'spiced apple', but since it was the only choice I got it anyway, and added the full amount of spices in the recipe. It was full of spice flavors, but I liked it that way. The allspice was right there in the flavors, but I like allspice, so it wasn't overwhelming. And the pecans gave it a bit of sweetness, and after baking, they were crisp and flavorful. 

Thank goodness for neighbors! I shared it with Julia and her gang. She said, "delicious!" Going to have to make this again when the Mr. gets home.

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)