The TRY IT! Club November 23--29, 2008

There was no activity last week, or the week before. The link to the last active  week is:

http://community.tasteofhome.com/forums/t/680195.aspx

 

Let me know if  you are interested in keeping this thread.

We need to get out there and put our recipe collections to work! What will you try this week?

What will we TRY, what will we learn, and what will we discover this week?

Here is one I plan to try for the Holiday:

 Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Pecan Crunch 

 

Change up your typical mashed sweet potatoes with this colorful, easy side dish.

 

Makes 8 servings. Prep Time: 15 minutesCook Time: 1 hour 

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar, divided

2 tablespoons orange juice 2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Cinnamon, Ground, divided1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Ginger, Ground, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

 

1 cup dried cranberries 6 tablespoons butter, cut up, divided 1/2 cup flour1 cup chopped pecans  

 

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix 1/4 cup of the brown sugar, orange juice, vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon each of the cinnamon and ginger, and salt in large bowl. Add sweet potatoes; toss to coat well. Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with cranberries. Dot with 2 tablespoons of the butter. Cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes.

 

2. Meanwhile, mix flour, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon each cinnamon and ginger in medium bowl. Cut in remaining 4 tablespoons butter with a fork until coarse crumbs form. Stir in pecans. Remove sweet potatoes from oven and stir gently. Sprinkle evenly with pecan topping.

 

 

3. Bake, uncovered, 25 to 30 minutes longer or until sweet potatoes are tender and topping is lightly browned.

 

 

 per one servingCalories 439    Carbs 63 g       Cholesterol 23 mg       Fat 19 g           Fiber 6 g          Protein 4 gSodium 257 mg

 

Our Holiday Tradition is to always try at least one new recipe for our meal. This year we will be trying at least two. One is the Roasted Sweet Potatoes with pecan crunch I posted earlier and the other will be this one:

 

SWISS STYLE GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

1/2 cup butter
2 cups crushed corn flakes cereal
1 T. all-purpose flour
1/4 teas. pepper
1/8 teas. onion powder
1 cup sour cream
4 cups green beans, cooked & drained
1/2 cup Swiss cheese, grated

Melt butter in a skillet. Mix 2 tablespoons with corn flakes and set aside. Add flour, pepper, and onion powder to remaining butter in skillet. Gradually add sour cream; simmer until thickened. Place green beans in a 1 1/2 quart casserole. Add sour cream mixture and stir to coat beans. Sprinkle with cheese and top with crushed cornflakes.  Bake uncovered at 400F for 20 minutes.

I love green beans, but have never been a big fan of the traditional Campbell's soup and Fried Onion Green Bean Casserole. I hope I like this one better! I'll let you know after the holiday!

 

Rene'

 Well, I don't see a new thread for this week! Actually I did try these last week. So guess this would be the thread to share them!!

Rec. & Rev. ~ Pumpkin Shortbread Dessert ~ TOH Holiday Thanksgiving ~ Yummmm!!

This is really just a big pumpkin pie made in a cake pan and with a shortbread crust rather than a regular pie crust! I'm not very good making pie crusts. So I'm always looking for a simpler way for me. When I saw the shortbread crust, I knew I had to try it! I LOVE shortbread! Pair it up with pumpkin pie and it has to be a winner, right? Yup!! It is!!

Thanks TOH!!!!

PUMPKIN SHORTBREAD DESSERT
~ from TOH Holiday Thanksgiving - Edie DeSpain - Logan, UT ~

1-3/4 c. sugar, divided
1-1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. cold butter
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (29 oz.) can solid-pack pumpkin
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
2 (12 oz.) cans evaporated milk
whipped cream and additional ground cinnamon, optional

 In a  bowl, combine 1/4 c. sugar and flour; cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into an ungreased 13X9" baking pan.
 In a bowl, combine the eggs, pumpkin, salt, spices and remaining sugar. Stir in milk. Pour over crust.
 Bake at 425º for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350º; bake 50-55 minutes longer or until filling is set. Cool on wire rack. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
 Cut into squares. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.

 

 

 

Rec. & Rev. ~ Apricot Sweet Potato Bake ~ TOH Holiday Thanksgiving

I tried this recipe for Thanksgiving dinner last week and will definitely be making it again! I might cut back on the orange peel or even eliminate it all together. It was just a bit overmuch, for my taste. And I usually very much like that citrus twist. However, even this small amount was a wee bit too overpowering! I did use the dry sherry and also threw in about 1/2 c. chopped pecans for a bit of crunch! A keeper with lots of possibilities of tweaks and additions that could make it uniquely your own! 

Thanks TOH for publishing this one!!

APRICOT SWEET POTATO BAKE
 ~ from TOH Holiday Thanksgiving - Jessie Sarrazin -  Livingston, MT ~

2 (15 oz.) cans cut sweet potatoes
1 (15-1/4 oz.) can apricot halves
3 Tb. brown sugar
1 Tb. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tb. dry sherry or chicken broth
1/3 c. raisins
1/8 tsp. grated orange peel

 Drain sweet potatoes and apricots, reserving 1/2 c. juice from each; set aside. Cut apricots in half. Place sweet potatoes and apricots in a greased shallow 1-qt. baking dish; set aside.
 In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, salt an cinnamon; stir in reserved juices until smooth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in sherry or chicken broth, raisins and orange peel.
 Pour over sweet potato mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 375) for 12-15 minutes or until bubbly.