Caramel Sweet Potatoes

6 med-large yams or sweet potatoes

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 cup sugar

1 cup half and half

Directions:

The entire recipe can be made the day before. Bake sweet potatoes at 400 F for 50-80 minutes (depending on size) in middle or top of oven. Turn over half way through. Scoop out flesh into large mixing bowl (nip off ends, slit down center and squeeze off skin). Using an electric mixer, whip potatoes until smooth with ½ stick softened butter, ½ cup brown sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. Refrigerate, covered.

Melt ½ stick butter in a small skillet over med-high heat. Add ½ cup slivered almonds and roast to a tawny brown, stirring constantly. Store in an airtight container.

In a skillet over med-low heat, melt ½ stick butter. Slowly dissolve 1 cup sugar in the butter and add 1 cup half-and-half. Stir almost constantly until the sauce is a light golden and coats the back of a wooden spoon. (It will take 30-45 min, but it’s worth it!) Refrigerate the finished sauce, covered.

Thanksgiving Day: Remove potatoes and sauce from fridge about 90 minutes before serving. Create a deep well in the center of the casserole (for the sauce). Heat potatoes and sauce separately in microwave until hot (or potatoes in 300 over and caramel on stove top), then pour hot caramel into the well in whipped potatoes. Sprinkle potatoes with almonds.

Breadsticks

Preparation Time: 1 hour

Serves: 1 9x13 pan

Ingredients

1 T. yeast

2 T. sugar

1 1/2 c. warm water

1 t. salt

3 1/2 c. flour

Mix first three ingredients together and let the yeast go to work.  Add in salt and flour and let raise, covered, in a warm place. 

Roll dough out.  Cut into 1" strips. 

Melt 4 T. butter in a 9x13 pan.

Dip dough strips in butter and twist.

Sprinkle one or more of the following on top and bake at 400 degrees until golden brown.

garlic salt

parmesan cheese

sesame seed

parsley

Mom's Guacamole Dip

2 avocados - pitted and peeled

1 T. grated onion

1T. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1/3 c. mayonnaise

Mash avocados with fork.  Stir in mayonnaise, onion, lemon juice, salt, and chili powder.  Serve with tortilla chips.  Makes 1 1/2 cups.

No-bake Energy Bars

For those of you who don't have any peanut allergies, I have a great, healthy recipe for you! One of the nutritionists at the hospital I work at came up with this recipe as a way to provide healthy energy! And it keeps the husband from snacking on candy and chips :)

Makes 10 bars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup rice krispies
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds (or whatever your preferred chopped nut)
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1 tbsp metamucil
• 1/3 cup chopped dried cranberries or mini chocolate chips

Directions:

• Blend together peanut butter, honey, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon until smooth.
• Pour in oats, rice cereal, seeds, flaxseed meal, metamucil, and cranberries/chocolate chips and mix until well coated. 
• Press mixture flat into a dish and refrigerate for an hour. 
• Cut into bars (or roll into balls) and eat within two weeks!

Nutritional Facts: 

Amount per serving (depending on the ingredients you choose):

• Kcals: 200
• Carb:24 g
• Fat: 9 g (unsaturated fat: 8 g)
• Protein: 6 g

Easy and quick Brazilian Cheese Rolls

I actually found this recipe here, but I wanted to repost it for the rest of you to try:

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/02/quick-brazilian-cheese-rolls-pao-de-queijo-2/



Quick Brazilian Cheese Rolls {Pao de Queijo} – Gluten Free!
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup tapioca flour (sometimes labeled tapioca starch) no substitutions
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 C grated cheddar cheese* (preferably medium or sharp)
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
*you can play around with the cheese.  I’ve used Monterey Jack, low-moisture mozarella, swiss, and even gruyere in place of the cheddar.  All great!

Optional:  extra cheese to sprinkle on top and any herbs/flavorings you’d like to add.  Try rosemary and or garlic powder, my favorites!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place egg, milk, oil, tapioca flour, and salt in blender and blend until smooth.  Add cheeses and pulse 2 times.  Immediately pour batter into a mini muffin tin (if your muffin tin isn’t non-stick, spray lightly with non-stick spray first), filling each well about 3/4 full, or just slightly less.  If desired (and I recommend), sprinkle a bit of parmesan cheese on top and/or a tiny sprinkle of kosher salt.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden.  Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes before removing rolls from pan.  Serve warm. These actually don’t re-heat well so I recommend making and eating fresh.

Yield: anywhere from 16-24 rolls, depending on how full you fill your muffin pan. I fill  mine pretty full (a good 3/4 full) and I generally get about 16-18.

Here's what I ended up doing: I had a hard time finding tapioca flour so I ended up just ordering it off of amazon and I'm so glad I did! didn't have a mini muffin tin so I used a normal sized one, filling each well up halfway. We filled six wells for the two of us and that seemed to be the perfect amount with no leftovers. In the mix I added some garlic powder, and on top I sprinkled parmesan cheese, salt, and rosemary. The rolls should sink in the middle but they'll be chewy and amazing!