My Kitchen Kreations To You: March 2011

Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 10 minutes

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 lb. ground turkey
1 egg yolk
1 very small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. barbeque sauce
2 T. ketchup
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 slice whole wheat bread crumbs
1/2 c. plain bread crumbs
1/2 T. salt
1/4 T. pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 1 quart baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add sweet potato. Cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and mash until smooth.

In a large bowl combine ground turkey, yolk, onion, garlic, barbeque sauce, ketchup, mustard, both bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Mix very well until evenly distributed.

Place into baking dish and using your hands mold into a loaf. Bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

Sweet n' Healthy Blogger Recipe Contest

Sweet Potato Italian Herb Red Wine Ground Turkey Shepherd Pie

Serves: 6-8
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 20 minutes

Topping

Water, for boiling
5 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 T. unsalted butter
¼ c. cream cheese, softened
1 egg
½ t. salt
¼ t. cracked pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 scallions, sliced
¼ c. Italian parsley, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste

Filling

1 T. olive oil
2 ¼ lb. ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. fresh thyme, minced
1 T. fresh oregano, minced
1 c. frozen peas, thawed
Salt and pepper, to taste

Sauce
¼ c. unsalted butter
2 T. flour
1/3 c. red wine
1 2/3 c. chicken broth
2 c. mozzarella, shredded
1 c. parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add sweet potatoes. Cook until tender about 20 minutes. Drain, transfer to a mixing bowl and add butter, cream cheese, egg, salt, pepper and garlic. Using a hand held mixer blend until smooth. Fold in scallions and parsley and set aside.

In the meantime for the filling heat oil over medium in a large skillet and add turkey. Cook until browned stirring often about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.

To same pan add onion and cook until light yellow about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in carrots and celery and continue to cook another 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, oregano, peas, salt and pepper to taste and cook a minute more. Reduce heat to low and let simmer.

For sauce melt butter in a small sauce pan and whisk in flour to prevent lumps from forming. Let simmer for a few minutes for flour to cook. Slowly whisk in red wine again to prevent lumps from forming along with broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer a few minutes until slightly thickened.

Pour sauce into turkey mixture along with vegetables and stir to combine. Transfer to a large baking dish, then evenly spread mashed sweet potatoes over the top and sprinkle with both cheeses.

Bake about 1 hour until golden and bubbly. Broil the last few minutes of cooking for cheese to brown more if desired. Let cool about 5 to 10 minutes for sauce to set before serving.

Sweet n' Healthy Blogger Recipe Contest

Sweet Potato and Green Bean Pancakes with Applesauce Gravy

Serves: 6-8 cakes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes

Water, for boiling
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 c. fresh green beans, trimmed and halved
¼ c. self-rising flour
½ c. milk
1 egg
1 pinch salt, to taste
½ c. applesauce gravy, garnish

Bring enough water to cover potatoes to a boil and cook until tender about 20 minutes. Using back of fork mash potatoes until smooth then fold in beans, flour, egg and salt.

Scoop ¼ cup of batter onto preheated griddle and cook until bubbles form 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with applesauce as a gravy.

Sweet n' Healthy Blogger Recipe Contest

Citrus n' Spice Sweet Potato Mini Muffins

Serves: 6 (18-20 mini muffins)

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes

1 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
¼ t. cinnamon
¼ t. ground nutmeg
Pinch salt
½ c. brown sugar
¼ c. vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten
1 t. orange zest
2 c. mashed sweet potatoes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl combine, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of salt; sift together using a fork.

In a separate bowl blend together brown sugar, vegetable oil, egg, orange zest and mashed sweet potato until well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry bowl and using a wooden spoon stir just until combined. The batter should be lumpy. Using melon ball or spoon, scoop batter into lightly greased mini muffin tins about ¾ full.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes, just until golden and toothpick comes out clean. If you press on the muffin top it should pop right back up.

Using a knife loosen muffins to release from pan and serve or store in an air tight container up to 2 or 3 days.