TEENY MCMUNN: MY RECIPE BOX

While putting away a recipe booklet, I noticed a recipe with sweet potatoes, pecans and blue cheese, and thought, 'what an interesting combination.' I had all the ingredients except the blue cheese so picked that up. I had yams instead of sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes will add a lot of color to your plate, unlike my picture.

I thought the recipe might be complicated, but it isn't. First step, put the potatoes and onions in the oven, and while that is baking, sugar the pecans and cool, then put together the dressing, which goes quickly. If you wanted to prep the pecans and dressing ahead, then it's even easier.

We were going to add a meat to the dinner, but instead ate only the sweet potato dish. It's a keeper in my opinion.

INGREDIENTS:

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled, and cut lengthwise into wedges

1 small sweet onion, cut into 1 inch pieces

4 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon butter

1/3 cup pecan pieces

1 Tablespoon packed brown sugar

4 teaspoons cider vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons honey

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons crumbled Blue Cheese, or finely shredded white cheddar

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a 15 x 10" baking pan, combine sweet potatoes and onion. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp of the olive oil: sprinkle with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Toss to combine. Spread mixture in a single layer. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring once.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in pecan pieces, brown sugar, and ¼ tsp salt. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the pecans are coated in the brown sugar mixture. Remove from heat: spread on foil and let stand to cool completely.

For dressing, in a small bowl whisk together vinegar, honey, garlic, ¼ tsp each of salt and black pepper. Slowly whisk in remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil until combined. Whisk in 1 Tbsp of the blue cheese.

To serve, transfer potatoes and onions to a serving place. Drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with pecans and remaining cheese.

MY NOTES:

I didn't measure the olive oil that went over the potatoes and onion, so they were a bit oily. Truth be told, I didn't really measure most of it. Who wants to measure a teaspoon and half of honey so I eyeballed it, which doesn't always work.

I had a few walnuts to use up so combined those with the pecans.

I thought it was easy to put together and delicious.

**Side note-I made the German's Chocolate Cake which turned out great. BUT, when I made the topping, it calls for 3 egg yolks. I should have known better. I added them into the hot mixture, therefore causing the egg yolk to be cooked instead of blending in. I had to dig out these boiled pieces of egg yolk. Not a pretty sight. They needed to be added with the rest of the mixture and then brought up to temperature. All in all, it turned out great.

ENJOY