Have you ever craved something so badly that you end up wasting loads of money trying to satisfy that craving? Well, that is how I was with sweet potato and apple chips. I felt like Pookie in New Jack City…these chips were like crack! I was on Facebook asking if people could tell me where to find them in the stores. And then, once I found them, I was driving all over town when there were only 2 bags left in the store, trying to get enough for the week. Eventually, I got to the point where I started ordering cases of them direct from the vendor so I could stop going to the store every other day to replenish them.
And then the light bulb went off, “Girl, you could make these yourself!” Or perhaps it was the gas light that came on! Cause these exorbitant gas prices have certainly brought those frequent Bi-Lo trips to a screeching halt. Anyway, it finally occurred to me that the chips are $1.99 for a 2.5 ounce bag when a sweet potato was around $.60. And one sweet potato makes at least 2 bags of the chips I get in the store. So, sorry Seneca Foods…I’ve got this.
Sweet potatoes are another one of my favorite things. Since I have cut out sugar in my diet, a sweet potato is oftentimes my “dessert” and has become a staple around the dinner table. Sweet potatoes are a superfood and are a good source of fiber, beta carotene, and Vitamins C and B6. Studies have shown that sweet potatoes can help stabilize blood sugar levels and lower insulin resistance. When eaten with the skin on, a sweet potato has as much fiber as half a cup of oatmeal, for about 100 calories, says dietitian Joan Salge Blake, author of Nutrition & You.
To make chips at home, it is best done using a mandolin, which is a cooking utensil used for cutting and slicing. A mandolin runs between $14.99-$60, depending on the type you get and whether it has attachments. I purchased mine from Bed, Bath and Beyond. The height of the mandolin can be adjusted to get the desired thickness of your choosing; and you simply slide the food item over it to slice.
Now this mandolin can be a dangerous instrument in the wrong hands! And being the chef that I am (self-proclaimed or not - no comments from the peanut gallery) I never imagined I would have any trouble with it at all. That being said, I elected not to use the piece that comes with the mandolin which prevents you from running your hands across the blade and having julienned fingers; and I looked up and a nice chunk of my thumb was missing. So it would be wise to follow the instructions and not place the food item in your hands to run it across the mandolin. Accidents do happen it seems!
This is such a simple recipe, though it can be time consuming if you do not use multiple baking sheets. But the end result is worth it! Great with a turkey burger, deli sandwich or all by their lonesome.
Sweet Potato Chips
One large sweet potato
Salt, optional
Pepper, optional
Pam Cooking Spray
Scrub potatoes to clean. Cut the ends off of the sweet potato. Slice the sweet potato with the mandolin until you have potato rounds. In a medium sized bowl toss with a dash of salt and pepper.
Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Lay rounds on sheet and lightly spray the tops. Place in preheated 350 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes or until they begin to curl and brown. Flip chips over at the halfway point so they cook evenly.
Store in air tight container for 2-3 days.
Be careful not to go overboard with the cooking spray as the chips may be soggy.
All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Sweet Treats 'n Good Eats, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.
You can really get into a lot of trouble eating around the holidays, particularly when you have nothing to do, which is my situation at this very moment. I was all set to make my dinner and planned on making a baked sweet potato to go along with my meal. And then it hit me...the overwhelming urge to have some sweet potato fries! I'm not going to tell you what I'm having for dinner because sweet potato fries don't go with this meal one bit. But I am having a craving so sweet potato fries it is.
Yes, I know the blog is mainly about sweets and baked goods but don't be so technical...I am baking them in the oven...they do have the word sweet in them...and the site is virtually everything sweet so that does leave me a bit of wiggle room.
I have a ton of kitchen gadgets and have a really basic fry cutter that comes in handy. But since I am bored this evening, I am going to cut mine the old fashioned way. However, if you have a burning desire to make fries on a regular basis, you can purchase a Progressive International Vegetable/French Fry Cutter through Amazon and shorten this process.
Sweet Potato Fries
1 large sweet potato
1 tbsp coarse kosher salt
2 tsp ground pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
Dash of paprika
1 tbsp vinegar or apple cider vinegar, optional
Wash the sweet potato well to remove any debris from the skin. Cut off the ends, discard, and cut the potato into small strips, as equal in size as possible. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika.
On a large baking sheet covered with non-stick foil or parchment paper, arrange the potatoes evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until crisp. Once the fries are done, remove from the oven and toss with vinegar.
All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Virtually Everything Sweet, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.
I am watching one of my favorite movies, Something's Gotta Give, and wondering why I am not enjoying a night out with friends or heading to a holiday gathering since I am feeling a lot less like the Grinch today. Instead I am home thinking about food. Good thing I only weigh a buck (not even the o' five) or I might be in trouble.
I guess it is safe to say that once I find something that I like, I get a little obsessed with it. It's Friday night and already I am thinking back to last weekend's buttermilk pancakes and anxiously awaiting Saturday morning's breakfast. While I am not quite ready to make the buttermilk pancakes again, I do want something that closely resembles the experience I had last weekend.
I have a thing for sweet potatoes and probably have them several times a week in some shape or form...sweet potato fries, sweet potato pie, baked sweet potato, sweet potato casserole, sweet potato bread...so what do you think I am having for breakfast? You guessed it. Sweet potato pancakes.
I had never heard of sweet potato pancakes until my girlfriend Kendra and her mother stumbled on a restaurant on one of their mother/daughter trips that they claim makes the best ones around, but they are only available for a few months during the fall. So perhaps now she can try them herself and not have to wait to enjoy them. Or maybe I will invite her over for breakfast tomorrow...
Sweet Potato Pancakes
1 1/2 cups of flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 eggs
2 cups of buttermilk
1 large sweet potato, cooked and mashed
4 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp bourbon
1/8 c pecans, toasted
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly toast pecans for 2-4 minutes.
Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, mashed sweet potato, butter, and flavorings. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and blend well.
Heat griddle. Oil the pan or spray with cooking spray. Pour a scoop of batter onto the griddle. Cook on the first side until bubbles form and begin to pop. Flip the pancake and cook until golden brown. Keep cooked pancakes warm until ready to serve, in a 200 degree oven. Sprinkle pecans as garnish on pancakes and serve with warm maple syrup.
All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Virtually Everything Sweet, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.
