Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Rosemary

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Rosemary

I have not posted a recipe for a long time, so here is a quick and easy one.  With Spring bursting fourth everywhere in the midwest, bar-b-ques get pulled out of the barn, the garden that has been asleep all winter starts to get worked, and I personally look for something that is quick and easy to cook, so that we can spend more time outside doing all those fun springy things after being cooped up all Winter.  We actually had it pretty mild this Winter, which is why I was able to make this recipe so early in the Spring.  My rosemary plants usually don't survive the winter, but this winter they just kept on and I was able to go pluck some leaves even durring the winter months.  Nothing tastes better on sweet potato fries than rosemary and some course sea salt.  You can make these in the oven or on the bar-b-que; it is a fast and easy recipe that is also good for you, as sweet potatoes are a super food.  According to Eating Well, here is what you get in a serving of sweet potato: A 4-ounce serving of sweet potato (about 1/2 cup) provides 390% daily value (DV) of vitamin A, 40% DV of vitamin C, 18% DV of fiber and 13% DV of potassium, plus vitamin E, iron, magnesium and phytochemicals like beta carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin.

Sweet Potato Fries

Serves 4

4 Medium to small sweet potatoes

2 Tbs. Olive Oil

1 or 2 good size sprigs of rosemary

Corse Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 375.  Pour the olive oil on a baking sheet with sides.  Slice the sweet potatoes in half and then cut into wedges 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.  We leave the skin on to get all the nutrients and fiber.  Toss the cut sweet potatoes in the olive oil on the baking sheet to lightly coat them with olive oil.  Pluck the rosemary leaves from the stem and sprinkle over the sweet potatoes.  Toss to mix in the leaves.  Bake in 375 degree oven 30 to 45 minutes until slightly browned and potatoes are tender.  Top with a sprinkling of corse sea salt before serving.  To make these on the bar-b-que substitute heavy duty foil for the baking sheet, loosely wrap the potatoes in foil to make a packet that can be placed on the grill and cook the same way.  Sweet potatoes may need to be moved up to top rack of grill to finish cooking and avoid burning...and to make room for your burgers!  Enjoy

Golden Bars

I recently read somewhere that if you cut a small portion of the sugar out of a standard recipe, and gradually kept cutting a bit out, then over time you would be consuming less sugar, and you wouldn't notice the difference. I have been thinking about this for a while (and not really trying it as, ya know, I like sugar! Especially brown sugar!) but as I was getting ready to make these mouthwatering and delicious "Golden Bars", I decided to give the sugar cut a try!

I have listed the recipe as it was written and in (parentheses) I showed how much I used to make this less sugar, less fat version.  I cut about 25% of the sugar and fat out of the recipe.  Try it and let me know what you think!

Golden Bars

2/3 Cup shortening, butter, or oil (1/2)

2 C Brown Sugar (1 1/2)

2 Beaten Eggs

1/4 tsp Salt

1 tsp Vanilla

1 1/2 C Flour

2 tsp Baking Power

Melt the shortening or butter on low in a sauce pan.  Remove from heat, add remaining ingredients, pour into greased 8" x 8" glass pan.  Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.  Cool, cut into 2" ish squares, enjoy!

 After baking this recipe with reduced fat and sugar, I really did not notice any difference in taste, texture, or the overall outcome of the cookie bars.  I have been making this recipe since I was in high school, and my mom made them before that, so I figgure I am a pretty good judge of their appearance :-) .  I didn't even tell my family that I did it, and no one noticed!


I would love for you to give this recipe a try and let me know how it turns out for you.

Meet Sunshine and Ravioli.......Etsy Shop Monday

SUNSHINE AND RAVIOLI is an Etsy shop featuring fun and whimsical paper goods for any special occasion you might have, or just to pamper yourself with something beautiful.  The shop is run by Stephanie and as she says her name comes from, "my favorite line from Louis Prima's version of "Pennies from Heaven". It's a fun, optimistic song and that's what I hope to offer you- fun, whimsical pieces of paper sunshine (but you'll have to get your own ravioli- sorry!)."

I recently ordered these book plates from her shop. They arrived in a sweet little glasine envelope and I love them because they have character and just the right touch of vintage feel to them.  I look forward to using them on my most special books.

You can find Sunshine and Ravioli at www.sunshineandravioli.Etsy.com
Stephanie is a self-taught folk artist, who says she doesn't remember a time when she didn't like to draw, color, paint, or just make things. Most all of her paper goods are made from high quality inks on acid free paper.
Creating her beautiful paper products from home allows her to be there when her kids get home from school.

 Please check out her blog and Facebook links:
newsletter, for special offers:
http://eepurl.com/eYZD

Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/SunshineandRavioli

Sunshine and Ravioli blog:
http://sunshinenravioli.blogspot.com

Pumpkin Bars...Our All Time Fall Favorite

One of my all time favorite fall recipes is for Pumpkin bars.  I copied this recipe several (too many to count) years ago from my friend Sherry.  I have made it over and over again for pot lucks, company and just for us.
I hope you enjoy trying this easy and quick bar recipe.

PUMPKIN BARS

Ingredients:

Bars:
4 eggs
1 2/3 C. sugar
1 C. oil
1 - 16 oz. can of pumpkin
2 C. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

You will bake this in an un-greased jelly roll pan.  Heat oven to 350o
Beat together the 4 eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin.  Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and soda.
Mix well and spread evenly in jelly roll pan.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until springs back slightly.

Cool on rack frost with recipe below when cool.  Cut into bars and top with candy pumpkin, candy corn, or fall decorations!

Frosting:
3 oz cream cheese ( I usually use more)
1/2 C. butter softened
2 C. powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients together well and spread of top of bars. Cut into 2x3" rectangles, or what ever size bars you like.

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