Maple Glazed Sweet Potato and Sausage

This is so yummy!  It's the perfect fall/winter dish.  And it's healthy!  A friend made it at a dinner once.  I was the only one that liked it.  So he gave me the recipe, the original recipe.  I've made it once before, but that was awhile ago, so I decided it was time to make it again.  And my family loved it.

I've decided that my friends that didn't like it, well, their taste buds are dead.

Maple Glazed Sweet Potato and Sausage
Prep Time:  17 minutes
Cook Time:  12 minutes
Serves 14 (small servings...)
Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 to 3/4" cubes
3 tbs butter
1 lb. smoked sausage, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 medium onion, halved crosswise and cut into thin wedges
1 large apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tbs packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)
1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne

Instructions:

1. Bring 1" water and 1/2 tsp salt to boil in dutch oven or large saucepan.  Add potatoes; return to boiling.  Cover and cook over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.  Drain well.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.  Add sausage, onion and apple.  Cook and stir 5 minutes.  Stir in maple syrup, brown sugar, salt, nutmeg and cayenne, mixing well.
3. Stir in sweet potatoes, stirring to coat.  Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until lightly glazed.

Per serving:  163 cal; 3g fat; 7mg cholestrol; 146mg sodium; 32g carbohydrate; 2g protein; 4g fiber
WW: 3 pts.

Notes:
-Looking back through the ingredients, I realized that I used 2 apples instead of 1.
-Substituted regular maple syrup with light/low sugar syrup.
-Subbed normal smoked sausage with Jennie-O turkey smoked sausage.  I quartered the sausages pieces.
-Have everything chopped before you start.  I got the potatoes going first, then started the rest.  The potatoes were more than fork-tender.
-Recipe says serves 14, but it's more like 7-8.

Skillet Enchilada

So good.  So easy.  Perfect meal when you're in a pinch or short on time. 

 

1 pound beef strips, stir-fry style

1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained

1 can (28 oz) green enchilada sauce

1 cup frozen corn

5 cups corn tortilla chips

1 can (3.8 oz) black olive slices

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet on medium-high, brown beef.  Add beans, corn, and enchilada sauce; stir.  Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low.  Add chips; cover and simmer 10 minutes.  Top with olives and cheese.  Garnish with sour cream and salsa, if desired. 

Makes 4-6 servings.

Recipe from Save Mart grocery store

Tamale Casserole

Last Friday's dinner...

Tamale Casserole
(please note, I doubled the recipe in the pictures but am providing the regular recipe)

The Cast of Ingredients:
Oh the smell of the sauteing veggies...And then the simmering stuff with the veggies...
Then the dish of goodness...
Ingredients:
4 tsp canola oil
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 red onions, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, deveined and minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 pound ground skinless turkey breast
1 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 cup frozen corn kernels
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 - 1 tsp hot Mexican chili powder
2/3 cup stone ground yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions:

1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Saute the bell pepper, onions, jalapeno and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until browned, 5-8 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce, corn, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the chili powder; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, stirring once or twice, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 15 minutes. Transfer to an 8" square baking dish.
2. Preheat the oven to 350F. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup water and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil. In a medium bowl, whisk the cornmeal into 1 cup water. Slowly pour the cornmeal into the boiling water in a thin steady stream, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes back to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and begins to form large bubbles, about 5 minutes. Spread over the turkey so that it is completely covered. Bake 25 minutes, then sprinkle with the cheese and bake until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4
Nutritional Info: 293 calories, 8g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 43g cholesterol, 531mg sodium, 35g total carbohydrates, 4g dietary fiber, 22g protein, 122mg calcium. Points per serving: 6

Notes from the Peanut Gallery:
-I would recommend draining the skillet of some of the excess liquid after browning the turkey. The casserole was a little runny.
-I think I made the cornmeal part wrong. I ended up with blobs of cornmeal, which was fine, just not how it should have turned out. But rereading the recipe I realized that I used only about 1 cup of water total when there should have been 2. Oops.
-For more spice, leave some of the seeds from the jalapeno and use the full 1 tsp of hot Mexican chili powder.

Observations during dinner:
-Dad cleaned his plate. Good job Dad!
-Chris added salsa and sour cream to his. I waited until he added the sour cream and ate some to tell him it was fat free sour cream.
-Coleman and Paige said it needed more seasoning, aka spice.
-Kaitlin. Can't remember what she thought. I think she complained of the extra liquid.
-Mom... can't remember what she thought either.

Recipe from Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook, 1998. Page 137.

Taco Bake

Mom makes this probably about once a month. Or at least she did while I was growing up. So good, and so easy!

Ingredients:
1 pound hamburger
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 cup water
1 pkg (1.25 oz. or 1/4 cup) taco seasoning
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
1 pkg (8 oz.) macaroni, cooked and drained
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chiles
1 can (or 1 cup thawed) corn (optional)
1 can kidney beans (optional)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Brown beef and onion over medium heat.
   
2. Mix in the water, taco seasoning, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Simmer 5-to minutes.
   
3. Stir in macaroni, chiles, 1 1/2 cup cheese, and optional ingredients.
   
4. Pour into greased 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
   
5. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, or until heated through.

Maple Glazed Sweet Potato and Sausage

Thomas and Katie served this at a Tuesday Night Dinner some time ago, I think maybe last fall. It was a small turn out that night. But boy do I remember this recipe. Honestly, I think I was the only one that liked it. I don't know why others didn't, it was great!

Prep Time: 17 minutes; Cook Time: 12 minutes; Serves 14
Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes
3 tbsp. butter
1 lb. smoked sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium onion, halved crosswise and cut into thin wedges
1 large apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg (optional)
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper or cayenne

Instructions:

1. Bring 1 inch water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boiling in Dutch oven or large saucepan. Add potatoes; return to boiling. Cover and cook over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain well.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage, onion, and apple. Cook and stir 5 minutes. Stir in maple syrup, brown sugar, salt, nutmeg, and red pepper, mixing well.
3. Stir in sweet potatoes, stirring to coat. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until lightly glazed.

Per serving: 163 calories, 3g fat, 7mg cholesterol, 146mg sodium, 32g carbohydrates, 2g protein, 4g fiber.

Recipe compliments of Wal-Mart where Thomas found it. He then passed it down to me since I liked it so much.