Mashed Yams with Brown Sugar

  
Sweet and crunchy – mmmm.

Ingredients:
6 lb yams
1 c firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c half and half
6 tbsp butter
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp groubd allspice
1 TBSP vanilla
Salt
1/2 c toasted pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 325.

Place the yams on a baking sheet. Pierce in several places. Roast until very tender about 1 hour. Let cool.

Halve the yams and scoop into a food processor. Add 3/4 the brown sugar, butter, half and half, spices and salt. Process until smooth. Spoon into a 2 qt oven proof dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar and remaining nuts.

Bake until heated through, about 30 minutes. 

Serves 8 – 10.

Advertisement

BBQ Rub

This is my mashup of several different rub recipes. I made for pulled pork, but it would be amazing on chicken too!

2 TBSP packed dark brown sugar
2 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP Smoked paprika
1 TBSP kosher salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Combine in a jar. Store in a dark place.

Pumpkin Pancakes

These maybe my favorite pancakes of all time! They are light fluffy and taste like pumpkin pie! I make a huge batch and freeze them for a quick weekday breakfast.

Ingredients:
3 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c light brown sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of cloves
Pinch of salt
2 2/3 c buttermilk
4 eggs
8 TBSP butter, melted
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 can pumpkin purée
1/2 c chopped, toasted pecans

Heat griddle over medium high heat.

Combine dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and stir until well combined.

Pour onto hot griddle, cook about 2 minutes per side until bubble start form. Flip and cook on the others side about 2 minutes.

Serves 8.

Mustard and Sugar Crusted steak

I had the most amazing steaks at Lamberts in Austin and this is my attempt to replicate it. I marinated the steaks in bourbon and brown sugar then broke out the blow torch to caramelize the mustard and sugar on the finished steak – a sort of steak with a creme brûlée crust – yummy!!!

Marinade:
3/4 c bourbon
3/4 c brown sugar
1 TBSP of mustard powder
1 TBSP garlic powder
Salt and pepper

1 lb steak

Crust:
2 TBDP Dijon
2 TBSP brown or maple sugar

Combine marinade ingredients, add steaks and marinade in a ziplock bag for 4 hours in fridge.

Remove from marinade and let rest for 30 minutes.

Grill on high 2-3 minutes per side for 1/2 inch steak and 2-4 minutes for 1 inch steals.

Rest 2 – 3 minutes.

Spread mustard over steak, sprinkle with sugar and carmalize with a blow torch. Flip and repeat.

Serves 4.

Gingerbread Cookies

I love using applesauce in place of butter, but with cookies I just can’t get alway with swapping out all the butter. These Gingerbread cookies have all the flavor with half the guilt.

Ingredients:
4 TBSP butter at room temp
3/4 c firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1/3 c dark molasses
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar and applesauce until smooth. Add egg and molasses and mix well. In another large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and spices. Add to sugar and molasses mixture, stirring well. Divide dough in two; cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough to 1/4 or 1/8-inch thickness. Cut gingerbread men with a cookie cutter.

Place 1-2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Add frosting or more decorations when cool.

Makes 40 cookies
2 WW PP per cookie