Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Muffins

The other day I saw on Facebook that the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission is having a Bloggers Recipe Contest for the best sweet potato recipes!  My family loves sweet potatoes!  We eat them baked, grilled, fried, in pancakes...well, just about any way!  This morning I was wanting some muffins, so I came up with this yummy (and healthy) recipe for whole wheat sweet potato muffins.  They were a big hit, especially with my four year old son, who helped make them!

Sweet potatoes give them a healthy kick, a yummy sweet flavor, and pretty orange color!  I used half whole wheat flour and half unbleached all purpose flour.  Greek yogurt adds moisture and more protein.  And I used maple syrup instead of highly processed white sugar.  I think these turned out to be a great start to a day!  And definitely kid approved!

Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Muffins

1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potatoes

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 eggs

1/4 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:

2 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°.  In a large mixing bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, yogurt, maple syrup, eggs, butter and vanilla.  In another mixing bowl mix together the flours, baking soda and cinnamon.  Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.  Stir until just moistened.  Grease two muffin pans and fill each cup half full with batter.  In a small mixing bowl, mix topping ingredients together.  Sprinkle the topping onto each of the muffins.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Makes 24 muffins.

* I added this recipe to "Sweets for a Saturday" at the Sweet as Sugar Cookies Blog.  Check out all the great recipes at http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2011/02/sweets-for-saturday-6.html!

* I added this recipe to "Seasonal Sundays" at the Real Sustenance Blog.  Lots more great seasonal recipes at http://realsustenance.com/seasonal-sunday-02-27-11/!

Crash Hot Potatoes

I have to admit, I got the inspiration for this recipe from The Pioneer Woman.  She posted her recipe for Crash Hot Potatoes several years ago...you can see her post here.  But I'm not real crazy about rosemary, so I came up with a seasoning mixture of my own.  From the first time I served these, they have been our family's favorite way to eat potatoes!

Everybody I have served these to loves them.  And since lately I have been getting requests for the recipe, here it is!

Crash Hot Potatoes 

Small red potatoes (as many as you want)

Oil (vegetable, canola, olive, whatever you want to use!)

Seasoning mix

Dried parsley flakes

Seasoning Mix:

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 teaspoon balck pepper

1 teaspoon garlic

Boil the potatoes in salted water until fork tender.  Meanwhile, mix up a batch of the seasoning mix and set aside. 

Lightly brush a baking sheet with oil.  Place the potatoes on the baking sheet.  Slightly flatten the potatoes with a serving fork or potato masher.





Using a basting brush, brush potatoes with oil.  Sprinkle with seasoning mix and parsley flakes.  Keep in mind that there is alot of salt in the mix, so don't apply it too liberally!  (The recipe for the seasoning mix will be enough for quite a few batches of potatoes!)

Place in the oven about 6 inches from the top burners.  Broil for 5 to 10 minutes until the potatoes are sizzling and starting to get crispy on top.  Remove from the oven and serve hot.

These potatoes might not be the prettiest ones you can serve, but they are just about the tastiest!  Enjoy!



CSN Giveaway Winner!

Thanks to everybody that entered my giveaway!  I had alot of fun reading your answers!  Two-thirds of you chose Spring as your favorite season!   And nobody chose Winter...I wonder if that has anything to do with the time of year this question is asked. :)  But I agree...Spring is my favorite season too!

And now, since I know you are all wondering...the winner of the $20 CSN gift code is....

Amanda!

Congratulations Amanda!

And thanks again to everybody that entered!  Please take time to look around my blog!



'Nother CSN Giveaway!

I have some more good news, folks!  I have been selected to do another CSN giveaway!  I have another $20 gift code to give to one lucky reader!  As much as I am enjoying the snow and cold weather...(and no school for my hubby all week!)...I know it won't last long, so my thoughts are turning towards spring! CSN Stores has everything you need for spring, from garden tools for that garden you can't wait to start, cleaning supplies for spring cleaning, outdoor toys for the kids (or you!), and even big items like a really fun wooden swing set!

I have been browsing the CSN websites, and I have found some of the things you can get for around $20!

Here is a super cute gardening set for your 'budding' gardener!  Pun intended. :)

Or how about this Topsy Turvy Strawberry Planter.  I've always wondered if these worked.

Or bring spring into your kitchen with these beautiful blue birds!

This time I have created a Google Doc so your entries won't be shown to anybody but me.  To enter the giveaway fill out this form with your name and e-mail address, and tell me what your favorite season is.  For extra entries, become a follower of Domestic Doin's, share a link to the giveaway on your facebook status, or blog about the giveaway and put the link to your blog in the comments box.

The giveaway will be open for one week.  It will end on Friday, Feb 11th, and I will post the winner on Saturday, Feb 12th.  Good luck to all!

Savory Chicken Stew With Biscuits

Howdy everybody!  I hope you are all staying warm as this winter weather hits our country!  Here is a "comfort food" recipe to warm you up!  I created this thick and savory stew with the leftovers in my fridge last week.  My husband declared it 'covetable' and has been requesting it for lunch almost every day. :)

I had quite a few leftover Cajun chicken thighs (chicken thighs sprinkled with McCormick Cajun seasoning and roasted), and about half a batch of my Roasted Root Vegetables.  The vegetables are a major part of this stew, so I would recommend making a batch!  They are great to keep in the fridge anyway, because they heat up just as good as the first time...or better! :)

First, I boiled the chicken thighs...bones, skin and all in water to make a stock.  Then I strained the chicken out, cooled, and picked the meat off the bones.  You can also use already made chicken stock or broth if you like.  Here is the recipe as I made it.

Savory Chicken Stew with Biscuits

4 cups chicken stock (or broth)

4 cups chicken, chunked

4 cups roasted root vegetables

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground sage

1/8 teaspoon tarragon leaves

1/8 teaspoon rosemary

2 bay leaves

3/4 cups flour

1 cup water

Biscuits:

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

1 cup buttermilk (or milk)

thyme leaves for garnish

In a large stockpot, bring the chicken stock, chicken, and vegetables to a boil.  Turn heat down to medium-low and add salt and seasonings.  Simmer for about 1/2 hour.  Remove bay leaves.  Mix together flour and water, and add to the stew.  Continue to simmer, stirring often until thickened.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450°.  In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients for the biscuits.  Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Add the buttermilk all at once and stir to moisten. 

Pour the stew into oven safe containers. (You can use one large one or several smaller ones.  I use small ones to pack for my husbands lunches)  Spoon the biscuit dough onto the top of the stew.  Make sure the stew is still very hot at this point, or the bottom of the biscuit wont be cooked through.  Sprinkle with thyme leaves.  Bake for 12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and serve hot!