Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans and Marshmallow

This is a side dish that everyone loves. It's more like dessert to me, but that ok too!

• 6 large baked large sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup toasted pecan pieces
• 1/2 to 1 cup miniature marshmallows

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel the sweet potatoes and rough mash leaving some large pieces. Toss with maple syrup and transfer to baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, and flour together until it's crumbly-looking. Add the cinnamon and salt.

Top the sweet potatoes generously with the streusel topping and then fold the streusel topping together to combine slightly. Sprinkle with pecans, and marshmallows. 

Bake for another 20 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and brown.

Cranberry Bread Pudding

Down home delicious and a great addition to any holiday meal!

• 16 snowflake dinner rolls cut into cubes
• 1 1/2 cups cranberries
• 4 tablespoons orange juice
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 6 beaten eggs
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

In a greased 13 x 9 baking pan, layer half of the bread cubes and cranberries. Repeat layers.

Melt butter and stir in orange juice. Drizzle on top of the bread mixture.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla until blended. Pour over the bread mixture and let rest for 30 minutes.

Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.

ENJOY!

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Onion

Just in time for Thanksgiving - oh yeah!

• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• Brussels sprouts, stem end trimmed, cut in half and sliced thinly
• ½ large onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until it is almost crisp. Add enough olive oil to sauté the Brussels sprouts and onion. Cook until the onions and are tender. Add the garlic and cook until it begins to golden. Add the bacon and stir. Add the chicken broth and cook until it’s absorbed. By now the Brussels sprouts. Top with additional bacon.

Portobello Tuna Melts

If you are watching your carb intake, this makes a great lunch or dinner. Serve it with a side salad!

• 2 large portobello mushroom caps
• Two 6 ounce cans white meat tuna packed in water, drained
• 2 tablespoons minced celery
• 2 tablespoons minced red onion
• 1 teaspoon minced flat-leaf parsley
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise (I use Hellman's Light)
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• Freshly ground black pepper,
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste (optional)

In a small mixing bowl break up the tuna with a fork. Toss with the celery, onion, and parsley. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, and season with pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Add lemon juice, if using. 

Pop stem out and scoop gills out of each mushroom cap with a spoon. Using your hands, lightly rub each portobello mushroom with olive oil. Saute in pan on both sides until soft but not mushy.

Divide the filling among the mushroom caps and generously sprinkle the tops with shredded cheddar cheese.

Place the filled mushrooms on a baking sheet in the oven on broil until cheese is golden and bubbly.


ENJOY!

Eggplant Sorrentino

I'm sure you have heard of Veal Sorrentino, well this is an all-eggplant version with ham. It’s very easy to make and very tasty!

• 1 large Eggplant
• Your favorite deli ham (2 slices for every one piece of eggplant) see note
• Your favorite deli provolone (2 slices for every one piece of eggplant) see note
• 2 Eggs
• 2 cups Italian Breadcrumbs
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Start by slicing the eggplant longways into long slices. You’ll want them less then 1/2 inch thick. Put the eggs in a bowl and whip them up, put the breadcrumbs with a couple of dashes of the salt, pepper and Italian spices on a plate and mix it up. Dip each slice of eggplant in the egg then coat generously with the breadcrumbs. Put each breaded eggplant slice on a non-stick cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven. Bake them about 10 minutes, then flip and bake about 10 minutes more. The breadcrumbs should brown.

When the eggplant is done, remove it from the oven. Put two pieces of ham on top of each eggplant slice. Then layer with cheese in between in a loaf pan. Put some of the cheese on top and finally sprinkle with basil and olive oil. Bake until the cheese melts for about 30 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Enjoy!

NOTE: I just buy 1 lb. of each to ensure that I have enough for this recipe. 
There os no tomato sauce in this recipe, however feel free to serve it with some on the side or pour over top just before eating!