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(Relatively Healthy) Sweet Potato Pie

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Most of my extended family is from the South.  Sweet potatoes are very important to Southerners and rightfully so because they’re awesome.  Not only are they tasty just baked with a smidge of cinnamon sprinkled on top, but they’re full of all sorts of vitamins and have been dubbed one of the World’s Healthiest Foods.

Sweet potato pie is one of my favorite things and I found an awesome recipe for it that used something like a pound of sugar and butter, and a cup and a half of corn syrup, but only 1 cup of sweet potatoes.   So I modified the recipe because sweet potatoes are already pretty darn sweet and I want to be able to have some sweet potato pie without feeling like I might have a heart attack right that second.

Sweet Potato Pie

  • 3 T. all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 C.  sugar
  • 3 C. mashed sweet potatoes 
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/8 C. light corn syrup
  • 1/2 t. ground nutmeg
  • 1 t. cinnamon
  • 1 t. vanilla
  • Pinch salt
  • 1/4 C. butter
  • 3/4 C. evaporated skim milk 
  • 1 (9 inch) unbaked pastry shell (I’m a slacker and used a store-bought crust)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Add potatoes, eggs, corn syrup, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, butter and evaporated milk; beat well. Pour into pastry shell. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes.

Martha’s Mississippi Mud Pie

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I’ve made this recipe twice in the last six weeks, and I’ve decided it’s the perfect summer dessert. I used oreos as the wafer cookies (cream and all), and it turns out great. Very simple, too.

Martha’s Mississippi Mud Pie

  • 25 chocolate wafer cookies (about half a 9-ounce package)
  • 1/2 cup pecan halves, plus more for garnish
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 2 tablespoons, cold, cut into small pieces
  • 2/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 cups milk
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor, grind wafers and pecans until fine crumbs form. Add melted butter; process until moistened. Transfer mixture to a 9-inch pie plate; press into bottom and up sides (use the base of a dry measuring cup to help). Bake until fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes; let cool.
  2. Place a large fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together 2/3 cup sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt. A few tablespoons at a time, whisk in milk, being sure to incorporate the cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks.
  3. Over medium heat, whisking constantly, cook mixture until the first large sputtering bubble forms. Reduce heat to low; continuing to whisk constantly, cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; immediately pour through sieve into bowl. Stir in teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons cold butter.
  4. Pour pudding into crust. Place plastic wrap directly on surface (to prevent skin from forming); chill at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. Just before serving, beat cream, remaining teaspoon sugar, and remaining teaspoon vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream over pudding, and sprinkle with pecans.

Watercress and Pepita Salad

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I serve this salad frequently with anything Mexican I’m making. It’s great. Definitely has that earthy, a little bitter, taste, but great. One of my favorite go-to salads!

Watercress and Pepita Salad

  • 1/3 cup pepitas
  • 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 1 1/2 pounds watercress, tough stems removed
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pepitas on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. (Store at room temperature up to 1 day.)
  2. In a large bowl, combine vinegar and cumin; whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper. (To store, cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.) Add watercress; toss to combine. Serve topped with pepitas.

Carrot Soup with Cilantro Salsa

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We’ve been making this recipe for years, and always declare it a favorite at the end of the meal. The salsa is what makes the soup, so definitely don’t go without it.

Carrot Soup with Cilantro and Chile
From Best of Taste Magazine (Williams-Sonoma)

Soup
2 T. butter
2 T. canola oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 T. ginely chopped ginger
3 lb. Carrots, peeled and chopped
5 c. chicken or vegetable stock
2 T. creamy peanut butter
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper

Cilantro-Chile Salsa
1/2 c. coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 T. roasted peanuts
2 t. chopped jalapeno
fresh lime juice
salt

1. In a large pot, melt butter with oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 15 min. Add the carrots and stock. Bring to a simmer. Cook until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the peanut butter.
2. In a blender, puree the soup in 2 batches. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve or chinois into a pot [Rex and I never do this]. Reheat on low. Add lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
3. FOR SALSA: In a mortar, pound cilantro, peanuts and jalapeno to a paste. Add lime juice and salt to taste.
4. To serve, divide soup among 4 bowls. Top each with a spoonful of salsa.

It’s Begun

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I have finally sat down to do what I have been meaning to do for months: create an online collection of my favorite recipes. This blog has been started partly out of guilt for all those recipes I promised to pass along and never have, as well as an impetus for those of you who have promised the same! I intend to post my favorite new recipe each week from here on out (a very modest amount of blogging, since I know I’m not good at big commitments) , or perhaps a favorite old one, and invite those who are inclined to do the same. I’m sure we will end up with the most incredible online compilation of recipes EVER. I really am. So, yep. Let’s get started.