Sweet Potato Cranberry Bake

Stolen from: AllRecipes It is a Taste of Home recipe and I almost always adore those. I have their cookbook and sporadically subscribe to their magazine for yummy recipe ideas.

I'll tell you right off the bat that I don't like to eat cranberries but, funnily enough, I really like the flavor.
I tried this out for Thanksgiving tonight and really really liked the taste of the sweet potatoes flavored with the cranberries but when I tried an obligatory bite with a whole cranberry it was not so great. Others concurred. Cranberry flavor = yum. Actual cranberries = so so.

Original Recipe Yield 6 servings

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 1 1/2 cups granola cereal (I didn't have so I used a little oatmeal/brown sugar concoction I threw together. I wouldn't recommend skipping all together though.)

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, cover sweet potatoes with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool. Peel potatoes; cut into 1-in. pieces. Combine cranberries, sugar, orange juice and salt; place half in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Top with half of the sweet potatoes. Repeat layers. Dot with butter. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until cranberries are tender. Uncover and sprinkle with granola; return to the oven for 10 minutes. 
2. ALTERATION NOTES: I peeled and chopped the potatoes before cooking them and that worked fine. Also one of the reviews I read said that she peeled and chopped potatoes and then baked them without precooking - just increased cooking time. She said that worked well.

Not a Recipe, but it's about food!

So I know we're supposed to put recipes up, but I wanted to let you all know about this wonderful little co-op that I'm a part of and since it has to do with food, I'm taking liberties. I got all of this wonderful produce that you see in this picture for $15 from an organization called Bountiful Baskets. It's completely volunteer run. I've done it twice now and have loved the quality and variety of food I've received. It's different each time because it's done seasonally. They just opened up a site in Lacey if you're interested just go to their website for further details and to login. This is a cheap alternative to signing up with a specific farm. There are no contracts and you can get it one week and not the next if you prefer. I have really enjoyed it. http://www.bountifulbaskets.org
If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. Thanks, brianne

Chicken and Red Potatoes

3 Tbsp. flour
4 chicken breasts
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
4 medium red potatoes, cut into wedges (I use more - probably 6)
2 cups carrots, cut into chunks
1 can (4 oz.) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies (If your family doesn't like spicy meals, you don't have to use the whole can. Sometimes I only use half.)
1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 packet dry onion soup mix
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Place flour in a large resealable plastic bag or bowl with a lid. Add chicken, one piece at a time, and shake to coat. In a large skillet, brown chicken in olive oil on both sides. (I skip the browning step if I am in a hurry.)

Meanwhile, place the potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and chilies in a greased 5 qt crock pot. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour half of soup mixture over vegetables. Transfer chicken to slow cooker; top with remaining soup mixture. Cover and cook on low for 3 1/2 hours to 4 hours or until chicken juices run clear and vegetables are tender. Makes 4 servings.

EASY CHILI

EASY CHILI

(QUICK TIPS IN RED)

3 cloves garlic

2 medium onion

1 large green pepper

2 jalapeños

Chop all vegetables into medium sized pieces. Sauté with oil in a large skillet (or soup pot).

2 lbs ground beef

Salt, Pepper, Garlic, Cumin, Chili Powder to taste

Add beef to skillet. Brown, season, and drain.

2 cups dry pinto/pink beans (2 cans undrained)

1 cup dry kidney/red beans (1 can undrained)

Several hours ahead of time put all dried beans into crock pot with 6 cups water and a heaping spoonful of Crisco. Cook in the Crockpot on high for several hours (they are done when you blow on a spoonful of beans and can see the skins peal back on their own).

When the beans are done add contents of skillet to the Crockpot. Also add:

1 can diced tomatoes – undrained

15 oz jar medium salsa

Stir. Continue to cook on high until dinner time. This is a good all day leave it to simmer kind of meal.

For a quicker 30 minute meal add canned beans, canned tomatoes, and salsa to soup pot containing meat mixture. Stir. Heat on stove top until bubbling and serve.

Serve with cheddar cheese. Great with tortilla chips.

Even better as leftovers.