Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Italian Sausage Alfredo

I know the weather is getting warmer and you're thinking lighter, healthier dishes.  I made this dish back in the beginning of April when the weather was still cool, and have been meaning to post it.  This dish is the perfect comfort food and it was super tasty!  So pin this, bookmark it, save it, for a day when you want something warm and comforting.  Now, I ended up making the sweet potato gnocchi from scratch.  However, for a quick and easy weeknight dinner I highly recommend buying the gnocchi (I've never seen frozen sweet potato gnocchi, so regular gnocchi would be just fine too!).  Then all you need to do is make the sauce.  This dish has lots of flavors and like I said, is really tasty!  The kids were able to pick out the tomatoes and mushrooms but did enjoy the gnocchi, sausage, and sauce.  I will definitely be making this again come the fall....but not the homemade gnocchi!

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Italian Sausage Alfredo
recipe from Lauren's Latest

Ingredients:
for the Sweet Potato Gnocchi:
1 cup cooked pureed sweet potato
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter

for the Italian Sausage Alfredo:
1 lb. Italian Sausage
1 cup diced onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 cups chopped mushrooms
2 cups lightly packed spinach, chopped
1-15 oz. jar alfredo or four cheese rosa sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
salt & pepper, to taste
fresh diced tomatoes
parmesan cheese
fresh basil

Directions:
For the sweet potato gnocchi- In a large bowl, stir pureed sweet potato, egg and salt together until combined. Slowly incorporate flour by hand (do not use a stand mixer) until just combined. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Flour each piece liberally as well as a clean work surface. Roll each piece into a long rope about 12 inches for fatter gnocchi or 16 inches for thinner gnocchi. Cut rope of dough into gnocchi pieces about 1/2 inch per piece. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and place gnocchi onto prepared pan. Dust with more flour to prevent sticking. Repeat with remaining dough.

To cook, bring large pot of very salty water to rolling boil. Drop gnocchi into hot water working in small batches. Stir pasta around to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot or each other. Cook about 3 minutes or until gnocchi floats to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon into a large bowl and stir in 1/2 tablespoon butter to coat hot gnocchi. Repeat until all is cooked. Set aside.

To make the Italian Sausage Alfredo, heat a large heavy bottom skillet over medium high heat. Break italian sausage into hot pan and stir continuously to break apart and cook thoroughly. Remove sausage from pan into a paper towel lined bowl. Set aside. Pan should still have some sausage drippings left in the bottom. Saute onion in pan until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, mushrooms and spinach. Cook another 3 minutes to wilt spinach and allow garlic to get fragrant. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in jar of pasta sauce. Pour heavy cream into empty jar of pasta sauce, replace lid and shake to ‘clean it out’. Pour cream into pan. Stir in remaining seasonings and cooked sausage. Cook 10 minutes. Serve sauce hot over top sweet potato gnocchi or plain pasta and top with fresh tomatoes, fresh basil and parmesan cheese.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up.

This post is shared at:
Mix it Up Monday @ Flour Me with Love
Manic Monday Party @ Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
Melt in Your Mouth Monday @ Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms
Recipe Sharing Monday @ Jam Hands

Yummy Sweet Potato Casserole

My daughter's birthday was a few weeks ago and we had some family over to celebrate.  My husband cooked up a ham and we made a bunch of sides to go with it.  I had some sweet potatoes (from that 5 lb. box I got on sale) that I wanted to use up so I added this to the menu at the last minute.  I'm glad that I did.  Everyone really enjoyed this. It was creamy and sweet.  A perfect side for when you want a change from regular potatoes.

Yummy Sweet Potato Casserole
recipe from allrecipes.com, courtesy of TINA B

Ingredients:
4 cups sweet potato, cubed
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Put sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with water to cover. Cook over medium high heat until tender; drain and mash.

2.In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, white sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish.

3.In medium bowl, mix the brown sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.

4.Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly brown.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up.

Ottolenghi's Sweet Potato Cakes

I am continuing my cooking adventures with the I Heart Cooking Clubs as we get to know Yotam Ottolenghi.  This week's theme was "Get Back to Your Roots."  I had bought a 5 lb. box of sweet potatoes that was on sale from the grocery store a couple of weeks ago.  I knew this week's Ottolenghi theme would be a perfect opportunity to use them up.  A couple of other participants had already made these and given them good reviews.  I didn't end up making the dipping sauce that goes with these and just served with some sour cream that I had.  I know the other reviewers said the sauce made the recipe.  So, I'm not sure if I missed out on anything by not making it.  However, I enjoyed these with just the sour cream.  You must like sweet potatoes though if you're thinking of making these.  The sweet potato flavor really stands out with a little heat from the pepper (though I only used a jalapeno, not the red chile the original recipe called for!).  Instead of steaming the potatoes like the original recipe called for, I ended up boiling, draining, and mashing them like I would if I was making mashed sweet potatoes.  This definitely cut down on the cooking and prep time that the original recipe needed.  Unfortunately, my son who enjoys sweet potatoes wasn't a big fan of these.  I knew my daughter, who doesn't like sweet potatoes to begin with wouldn't like these, so I halved the recipe, as shown in the amounts below.  But my husband I enjoyed them.  These are best eaten the day they are made.  The leftovers didn't taste as good!
        
                              
Sweet Potato Cakes
recipe adapted from Plenty:  Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London's Ottolenghi

Yield: 2 servings as posted (original recipe yields 4)

Ingredients:
1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp scallions, chopped
1 tsp jalapeno pepper finely choped
lots of butter, for frying
sour cream for topping

Directions:
Fill large sauce pan with water and bring to boil over high heat.  Once boiling, add potato chunks and cook for 15 minutes.  Drain and let cool for about fifteen minutes. Place in a large mixing bowl and mash with fork.  Add the rest of the ingredients except the butter.  Mix the ingredients by hand - it should be sticky, so if it's a little runny, add some flour. Do not over-mix.

Melt some butter in a nonstick pan.  Add spoonfuls of batter to pan and flatten with a spatula into discs that are approximately 2 inches in diameter and 3/8 inch think.  Fry on moderate heat until you get a nice, brown crust, about six minutes on each sode. Place between two sheets of kitchen towel, to soak up the excess butter. Serve warm, topping with sour cream if desired.

Family Rating: 1 thumb up.

Might Have Missed Monday: Sweet Potato Chicken Curry

Here's another recipe that you "Might Have Missed."  This is a recipe that my husband, The Weekend Chef, made last November.  From my original post, I remember that I did not read this recipe in its entirety before I had my husband start making this at 6:30 at night.  It takes some time and is not a weeknight meal.  However, it's hearty and tasty! It does have a little "kick" to it and because he started it so late, the kids did not eat this, but we really enjoyed it!

Sweet Potato Chicken Curry
recipe from Cooking Light, November 2009

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups vertically sliced onion
1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato
3/4 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Diretions:
1. Combine curry powder, coriander, turmeric, salt, black pepper, red pepper, and bay leaf in a small bowl.

2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from pan. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to pan; cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high; return chicken to pan. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add curry powder mixture; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Stir in potato and chickpeas. Cook, uncovered, 30 minutes. Add peas; cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice. Discard bay leaf.

Mommy & Daddy Rating: 2 thumbs up!

This post is being shared at:
Manic Monday @ Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
Mangia Mondays @ Delightfully Dowling
The Bulletin Board @ Mrs. Happy Homemaker
Tasty Tuesdays @ 33 Shades of Green
Totally Tasty Tuesdays @ Mandy's Recipe Box
Show Me What You Got @ Our Delightful Home

Brazilian Potato Salad

This is my last "Brazilian" post for our trip Around the World this month.  Unfortunately, I didn't get to make any desserts, which my daughter was really excited about!  It's gotten very busy though with summer vacation arriving.  Hopefully next month we'll have some tasty desserts to share!  This potato salad was different than any we'd had before.  It called for sweet potatoes and black beans.....yes, more black beans!  But it was so tasty!  This was my husband's favorite dish.  He thought it could even be a main dish by adding some cooked salmon.  The kids weren't big fans.  My daughter isn't a big fan of sweet potatoes to begin with and my son is an extremely picky eater.  However, I will definitely be making this potato salad again!

Brazilian Potato Salad
from food.com by cookiedog

Ingredients:
1 1/3 lbs sweet potatoes
2/3 tablespoon salt
1/3 cup drained and rinsed black beans
1/3 red onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

FOR THE DRESSING
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 1/3 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2/3 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
1. Scrub the sweet potatoes and cut off the ends. Place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt and cover. Bring to a gentle boil and boil for 20 to 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and let stand until the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle.

2. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into cubes in a bowl. Add the black beans, onion and cilantro and toss to mix.

3. Whisk the mayonnaise, olive oil, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper in a bowl. Pour over the warm sweet potato mixture and toss to coat.

4. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Mommy & Daddy Rating: 2 thumbs up.

Smoked Chile Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

Our supper club theme this past month was Chef Bobby Flay.  Bobby Flay is varied in that he does a lot of grilling and then he also is famous for his "Southwest" style and flavors.  I chose to make a potato side dish. I debated between white potatoes and sweet potatoes.  But this recipe got more positive reviews so I went with it.  I'm so glad that I did.  It couldn't get any easier to make and it was so tasty...but really, I think anything with 2 cups of heavy cream would probably taste good!  It was creamy with a little heat.  It could have even had a little more heat.  Although I don't usually repeat recipes, I will definitely be making this dish again soon!

Smoked Chile Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
Recipe from foodnetwork.com - Courtesy of Bobby Flay, Boy Meets Grill

Prep Time:  10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Yield:  4-6 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream
1 heaping tablespoon chipotle pepper puree
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 1/8-inch thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Whisk together cream and chipotle puree until smooth.

In a 9 by 9-inch casserole dish, arrange the potatoes in even layers. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the cream mixture and season with salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, cream, and salt and pepper to form 10 layers.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes, remove cover and continue baking for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the cream has been absorbed and the potatoes are cooked through and the top is browned.

Mommy & Daddy Rating: 2 thumbs up!

The Weekend Chef: Sweet Potato Chicken Curry

So, I'm filing this one under The Weekend Chef since my husband did most of the cooking.  I did a little prep work but he was really responsible for cooking this.  I was meaning to make this recipe last week(to use up the rest of the sweet potatoes that I had gotten at Shoprite for a really good deal!) but never had the time.  We got back from Maryland late last night and haven't been to the grocery store yet.  So I recommended that we make this for dinner tonight since I had all the ingredients on hand.  As my husband starts cooking around 6:30 he asks, "Did you read this entire recipe?!"  Oops, he got me.  I didn't actually read through the entire thing. This recipe involves cooking, simmering for an hour, and then cooking uncovered for 30 minutes!  So, the kids got soup and grilled cheese and we ended up eating dinner around 8:30!  This is definitely NOT a weeknight meal!  It's a great fall dish, and if you leave out the chicken, would make a great vegetarian meal.  The kids probably wouldn't have eaten it anyway, because the red pepper gave it a nice kick!

 
Sweet Potato Chicken Curry
Cooking Light, November 2009

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups vertically sliced onion
1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato
3/4 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation:
1. Combine curry powder, coriander, turmeric, salt, black pepper, red pepper, and bay leaf in a small bowl.

2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from pan. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to pan; cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high; return chicken to pan. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add curry powder mixture; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Stir in potato and chickpeas. Cook, uncovered, 30 minutes. Add peas; cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice. Discard bay leaf.


Parent Rating: 2 thumbs up!