Twice Baked Candied Sweet Potatoes

November is all about Thanksgiving--pumpkin pie, green beans, stuffing, turkey, sweet potato casserole--but sometimes you just can't wait until the end of the month to get a taste, right? And why should you wait when there's a simple recipe around that?

If you are craving Thanksgiving flavors, or you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner yourself, try this simple version of sweet potato casserole.  Jon loves twice-baked potatoes, and he likes sweet potato casserole with little marshmallows--makes sense that he'd like this.

Equipment:

Baking sheet, lined with foil or pyrex dish

Mixing bowl

Fork, for mashing

Spoon, for scooping

Functioning oven or microwave

Ingredients:

2 Sweet Potatoes (depending if you have company or not)

2 tsp butter, 

2 Tbls Marshmallow Fluff, optional

2/3 cup of Little marshmallows

Brown Sugar, light or dark

Nuts, optional

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands and the potatoes.

2. Preheat oven 325F degrees. (You can use a microwave, if time is an issue)

3. Puncture potatoes with a fork several times.

4. Bake in the oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or use the microwave for 8-10 minutes, until potatoes tender. 

5. Once potatoes cool, slice them lengthwise in half and scoop out the flesh.

6. Combine the potato flesh, butter, and salt by mashing with a fork in a mixing bowl.

7. Add Marshmallow Fluff and combine. (Skip it if you prefer less sweet or are cutting costs)

8. Scoop the mixture into each of the potato halves.

9. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and/or brown sugar

10. Bake uncovered x 15-20 minutes.

11. Add little marshmallows and bake another 5 minutes, until soft and slightly browned.

Hearty Old-Fashioned Oatmeal

No doubt breakfast is one of the most important meals, but the one meal most of us spend the least amount of time on, especially during the week.  Morning seems to be the busiest time of the day--rushed, bathroom busy, woke up late, gotta get to work or class, or just didn't have time.

But this can change and it could make all the difference to slow down for this meal for the rest of your  day. Try it out with this Hearty Oatmeal made from scratch without the sugary mealy water-made paste from packet oatmeal. 

All you need are oats, milk, a bowl, a microwave, and 10 minutes. Add fresh fruit, berries, cinnamon or brown sugar, raisins, and /or anything else!

Equipment: 

Microwave

Microwave-Safe Cereal bowl

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Old-Fashioned Quaker Oats, not instant

1 cup milk 

Add-Ons:

Brown sugar

Raisins

Cinnamon sugar

Cream or milk

Fresh berries

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands.

2. Combine oats and milk in cereal bowl.

3. Microwave on HI for 2 minutes. Mixture will look foamy but not rise up.

4. Stir and microwave for several cycles of 30-45 seconds. Approx 2-3 times.

5. Watch oatmeal closer as mixture begins to rise and boil more quickly.

6. Remove from microwave once thickens and let sit to cool.

7. After 5 minutes, begin adding your extras.

8. Feel ready for the day as you walk out the door.
9. Or run a marathon like they are doing this morning in Chicago Oct 13, 2013.

Spicy BBQ Sloppy Joes

I haven't had Sloppy Joes for years.  Just never think of it.  But this recipe makes total sense as another Burger Alternative--Spicy BBQ Sloppy Joes.  It fits in line with providing simple skills with multiple variations on a theme: hamburger doesn't have to equal 'another burger night'.

See what you think.  I adapted a version from Epicurious Dinner Rush magazine called 'Sophisto Joes' but completely misread the recipe on my first attempt, adding 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar instead of 1 1/2 Tablespoons.  On remake, I adjusted the ingredients and added a few new ones.  Still simple, but with a little kick to keep things interesting!

Equipment:

Large skillet

Wooden spoon

Knife for chopping veggies

Magic-Bullet-type blender (if you don't have one you'll have to simply mash tomatoes)

Measuring spoons

Ingredients:

1 (14 1/2 oz) can whole tomatoes or diced, drained

1 large onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tablespoons butter

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

1 celery rib, finely chopped

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

2 Tablespoons Worchestershire Sauce

1 Tablespoon of light or dark brown sugar

Juice from 1/2 lemon or 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar 

Pinch of cayenne (optional, if you have it)

1/2 tsp of Dijon mustard (optional if you have it)

4 Kaiser Rolls / Hamburger Rolls, toasted with or without butter.

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands.

2. Puree the tomatoes in the blender. Set aside.

3. Prep all of the veggies.

4. Heat butter over MEDIUM - HIGH heat in a large 12" skillet.

5. Saute garlic and onion until onion begins to turn golden brown, approx 4-5 minutes.

6. Add carrot, celery, 1/2 tsp of salt.  Stir and cook for until veggies soften, approx 4-5 minutes.

7. Add beef and brown, stirring occasionally, approx 5-6 minutes.

8. Add chili powder, 1/2 tsp salt, dijon mustard, and 3/4 tsp pepper.  Stir for 2 minutes.

9. Add pureed tomatoes, lemon juice, Worchestershire Sauce, and brown sugar.

10. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, approx 6 minutes.

11. Season to taste with salt.
12. Toast your rolls for added support for the sloppiness.  Add butter or skip.

Polka Dot Blondies

I realize that I haven't published any recent baking options for the college menu repertoire, and I hesitate a little, because baking entails special equipment, ingredients, and usually,  "close attention" to measurements and details.  Thus, I have tried to utilize recipes that have standard ingredients and cookware which you likely already own due to the other recipes that have been featured.  

If you have attempted any, or all, of the recipes, you should hopefully, have a solid cookware arsenal at your disposal.

Today's sweets is a twist on an old favorite--Blondies--but, this one is made for peanut butter lovers with caramel (Rolo) chocolate pieces.  It is decadent to say the least.  As with most baking, it's not difficult, it just requires a stepwise approach. In this case a two-step process of prepping the dry ingredients and a liquid counter-part.

Read the recipe and take your time. See what you think.  Total Cost:  approx $8

(Adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod)

Equipment:

9" x 13" Pyrex dish

Mixing Bowl

3-qt Sauce pan

Whisk or Fork (to use like a whisk)

Flat rubber spatula

Ingredients:

Liquid Mixture:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 cups light brown sugar

1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Dry Mixture:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup Rolo candies, unwrapped

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands.

2. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.

3. Grease with a small amount of butter or spray your baking dish with PAM spray.

4. Prepare liquid mixture by melting the butter in the saucepan over MEDIUM heat.

5. Add the brown sugar, stirring constantly until smooth.

6. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter until smooth.  Set aside to cool.

7. Prepare dry mixture by combining flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.

8. Once the liquid mixture is cooled, add one egg at a time and combine thoroughly

9. Add the vanilla and combine until smooth.  It will look like a liquid, grainy paste.

You now have everything ready to move on!!

Dry and Liquid

10. Add the liquid gradually to the dry ingredients.  This will entail some upper extremity strength.

11. The batter becomes quite thick, use your hands to combine if needed. 

12. Spread the cookie-dough into the baking dish.

13. Top with Rolo candies and press them into the batter.

14. Bake for 30 minutes until edges and top are golden brown. Then let cool.  

Note:  The center on these bars remains fairly moist because of the peanut butter.  Got Milk?