Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I love sweet potatoes. Unfortunately, no one else in my family does. The only time I eat sweet potatoes is around the holidays when there are other people to help me eat them. And even then, most sweet potato casseroles are loaded with sugar and calories, so I only eat a little.

When I stumbled across this recipe on the Food Network website, I was eager to try it. Ellie Krieger is one of my favorite FN chefs and she's well-known for reworking recipes to make them lower in fat and calories. I tweaked it a bit and added some spices I knew I'd like.

The results were amazing! This dish has all the wonderful goodness of sweet potatoes with a LOT less fat and calories. If you're looking to "lighten up" your Thanksgiving menu, give this a try.

Here's what you'll need:

2 lbs sweet potatoes (this will be about 3 large potatoes, depending on their size)
2 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP honey
1/2 teas salt
1/2 teas cinnamon
1/4 teas ginger

Peel and dice the potatoes into small pieces. Try to make them all the same size so they bake evenly.


In a bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Add the potatoes and toss to coat. Spread the potatoes in a single layer on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour until potatoes are tender. Stir every 10 minutes or so.


I loved how the potatoes were a little crispy on the outside and so tender on the inside. The honey added just the right amount of sweetness while the cinnamon and ginger gave the dish a hint of warmth. And they smelled so yummy, too!

For more yummy recipes, visit Tempt My Tummy Tuesday. This week it's being hosted at At the Well.

Menu Plan Monday November 7-13

The weather has definitely taken a cold turn, and I'm craving some comfort food. So lots of easy, yummy stuff on the menu this week.

Sunday
Pan-seared tilapia by request of two family members, even
though we had it last Sunday too

Monday
Chinese chicken, rice

Tuesday
Lentil rice burritos, tortilla chips

Wednesday
Chili, cornbread

Thursday
Baked potato bar, broccoli

Friday
Pizza

Saturday
Toscano soup, herb bubble bread

Lazy Saturday and don't forget to Fall Back!

Yesterday it hailed. Nothing major, just little pellets of hail that made the kids excited and wishing for snow. Sorry, kids. We live in the Deep South.


Today it's been rather chilly, at least for the Heart of Dixie. So other than a quick trip to Target, we've pretty much done nothing but cuddle up and enjoy each other's company. I've got some bread rising and some cheeseburger soup simmering. Maybe later I'll make some cookies or something snacky for the kids.

If you live in the states that observe Daylight Savings Time, it ends tonight. So set your clocks back an hour before you go to bed. Who couldn't use an extra hour of sleep?

Broccoli Cheese Soup

With the weather turning colder, it's time to pull out some soup recipes and warm everyone up! I'm thinking about hosting a soup party where everyone brings a crockpot of soup and we all sample each other's offerings. Now if I can find the time to put it together!

This soup is cheesy and delicious and is very simple to make. It came together in less than 20 minutes, making it a great choice for a busy weeknight.

Here's what you need:

1 head broccoli, cut into florets and steamed
(You could also use a bag of frozen broccoli florets)
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1 can condensed cheese soup
1 teas onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I use sharp cheddar)

While the broccoli is steaming, combine the broth, milk, cheese soup and seasonings in a large saucepan. Heat until lightly simmering, stirring with a whisk to remove any lumps from the soup. You don't want to boil this because the milk might curdle. Just let it bubble a little around the edges.

Add the shredded cheese and whisk until it's completely melted. Give the broccoli florets a rough chop and add to the soup. Heat through and serve.

Pumpkin Pie Pudding - in the crockpot!

This is one of my family's favorite desserts. It tastes just like pumpkin pie without a crust. I love it because I simply pour the ingredients into the crockpot on Sunday morning and have dessert ready when we get home from church.

On a busy holiday, such as Thanksgiving or Christmas, this is a great alternative to baking a pumpkin pie. It frees up your oven for other things and saves a few calories, too.

Here's what you need:

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Bisquick
2 eggs, beaten
2 TBSP butter, melted
2 1/2 teas pumpkin pie spice
2 teas vanilla extract

In a large bowl, whisk all the ingredients together until well blended. You don't want any lumps. Pour into a greased crock pot. I use a 5-quart for this.


Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until set. The pudding will pull away from the sides of the crock and there might be a crack or two on top. That's okay.

Scoop out and serve in bowls. Whipped cream is yummy on this!

Time to Vote

Today is midterm elections. And midterm elections have low turnouts. I know a lot of people don't feel these elections are important since we're not voting for a president.

I beg to differ. The president doesn't make the laws. Our representatives do. I don't care if you're conservative, liberal, Republican, Democrat, Tea Party, Green Party, male, female, young or old. Just go vote!

To NOT vote is a slap in the face to the men and women who fought and died to create this great nation and to those who have fought since to preserve our freedoms. People actually laid their lives down so we can vote for those who represent us. Why then do we dishonor them by not educating ourselves on the issues and choosing a candidate who best represents our views? How many millions of people in this world would love to have this opportunity that we take for granted?

So take the time today to vote. Honor the past. Impact the future.

Pan-Seared Tilapia

I rarely cook any kind of fish but salmon. And with the price of salmon these days, I rarely even cook that!

But when I found a simple recipe for tilapia, I knew I wanted to try it. I bought frozen fillets and thawed them in the fridge overnight. They were then good to go for this easy recipe.

Here's what you need:

4-6 tilapia fillets
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup flour
1 teas Old Bay seasoning
1/4 teas garlic powder
oil for searing
1 TBSP melted butter, optional

Place the fillets on a baking sheet and salt and pepper both sides.


Combine the flour and seasonings on a paper plate. Dip each fillet in the flour mixture and make sure the entire surface is covered.


Heat a small amount of oil in a large skillet. You don't want to fry the fillets. You just want enough oil to keep the fish from sticking to the pan.

Add the fish fillets and sear for about 4 minutes on each side until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Brush with melted butter if desired.



The beauty of this recipe is the simplicity. The basic flour and spice coating provides a nice crunch and plenty of flavor. My family raved about this fish and everyone agree we should add it to our meal plan often. I liked that it took less than 15 minutes to prepare. Couldn't be easier!

For more yummy recipes, visit Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace.