Baked Sweet Potato Tots

Eeeee!  It's 2013!  I haven't seen you guys since last year.  It's been way too long.

So, I thought I'd let you know about these healthy nuggets of goodness.

Last night I was waiting on my ride home to get done stringing guitars (normal?) so I could get home and make some healthy shrimp poboy sandwiches.  It was right around dinner time and some sweet/evil soul was making tater tots.

If you know me at all, you know I cannot resist potatoes in any form.  These were just Ore Ida frozen tots, but I started popping them like candy.  Delicious potato candy.  After about 5 tots (Ha! Yeah, we'll go with that) I stopped myself and got inspired to make a healthy tot.

source

Cool story?  Let's proceed.

Baked Sweet Potato Tots
makes about 25-30 tots

1 large sweet potato
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
salt
garlic powder
non stick spray oil *updated*

Wash the sweet potato, pierce it with a fork and microwave until fork tender.  I put mine in a Ziploc bag and microwaved it for 7 minutes, but it will vary by microwave.
Carefully peel off the skin and mash the sweet potato in a bowl (not too much, though).  Mix in some salt, garlic powder and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Get your coating ready by mixing the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan and some salt.
Scoop about 1 1/2 tsp of sweet potato mixture into your hand and form a tot shape.  Roll directly in the bread crumb mixture and place on a sprayed baking sheet.  Continue until all tots are formed.  *Spray some cooking spray oil on the breaded tots.  I did this to try and get some color, but it didn't quite happen ;)*
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, turn them on the baking sheet and bake for an additional 7 minutes.

Here's my meal--yum!

Family Fridays: Asian Slaw

This Family Friday recipe is a total winner.  I could crunch on this slaw every day it is so yummy.  It would make a great side dish to some soy & ginger grilled flank steak or some BBQ or anything else you can think of.  It is a staple at our family get-togethers.

This recipe is made by my Aunt Amy and Uncle Jeff who are two super cool peeps.  They are both fun to talk to and always quick to laugh.

Love you guys!

Aunt Amy & Uncle Jeff's Asian Slaw

Ingredients:

1/2 c sugar

1/3 c vinegar

1/2 c vegetable oil

2 pkg beef flavored Ramen noodles

1 (16 oz.) pkg slaw mix

1 c sunflower seeds

1 c slivered almonds

1 bunch green onions, chopped

Mix sugar, vinegar, oil, flavor packs from Ramen noodles in a pan on the stove.  Heat to boiling.  Cool.

Combine slaw, seeds, almonds and onions together and top with the cooled liquid mixture. 

Just prior to serving, crush noodles and sprinkle them in.

Fabulous Fall Fridays: Stealthy Shells & Cheese

Mac and cheese is like the ultimate comfort food. It's gooey, cheesy and puts you in a carb coma, if consumed in mass quantities.

Well, this dish is a twist on an old classic that will give you all the comforts of the original along with a serving of veggies.

I highly doubt anyone will pause from shoveling this in their face to say they taste something funny in this yummy side dish.

Stealthy Shells and Cheese

1 12 oz bag of medium shells pasta (the bag that says 3-4 servings)
3/4 can of pureed butternut squash (or 1 1/2 cups of homemade puree)
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded swiss (or mozzarella) cheese
2 tbsp butter
1/4-1/2 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil noodles per the package instructions and drain. Add in all the other junk and stir it up.

And now for the close up.