Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet potatoes are the most nutritious vegetable in the entire produce section of the super market. After I discovered that fact, I started cooking with them much more than with white potatoes. So, why not make dessert with this king of nutrition???

Sweet Potato Pie
makes 8 servings

1 pie shell - pre-baked until brown and set (make your own or use whatever store bought variety you like)

Preheat oven to 375F.

For the filling:

3 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds) - roasted fork tender
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream (I use evaporated skim milk)
1/2 cup light brown sugar (I use Splenda brown sugar)
1/4 cup light corn syrup (I use grade B amber maple syrup)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch ground cloves

Peel sweet potatoes and mash lightly with a fork. Transfer to food processor with butter and process until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, pulse to combine. Pour filling into pre-baked crust and bake until set, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.

Serve with freshly whipped cream. For a special treat, when whipping the cream add a tablespoon of bourbon or rum for flavor in addition to the normal vanilla and sugar.

Pickle Juice?

Do you like pickles? I love them.

When I open a new jar of pickles it is tough for me to stop eating the whole thing. When I am done with the jar, there is always quite a bit of flavorful brine left. I always have a hard time throwing it out. Well not anymore!! There are so many uses for the brine.

I use it as a base for marinating chicken, beef and pork. I use it as a base for a cole slaw dressing. Use it as the starter for a salad dressing. Mix with yogurt for a great salad or cole slaw dressing. I use it to marinate vegetables to be roasted. And, for those more adventurous souls.....don't forget to try a pickletini. Yup! Use a good quality vodka and the pickle juice. Serve with a dill pickle spear as a garnish. It's YUMMY!

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Mixed Drink Creativity - Peach Melba Martini

I am constantly inventing mixed drinks when we are out bar hopping. Sometimes this habit actually earns me to drink free at the bars we go to. One in particular, that makes an infused vodka with different fruits and herbs, gave me a free martini for every recipe that I created and they sold at the bar. Kind of like a barter system I guess....

Some of the drinks I create are sold in local bars and restaurants. I even had a grocery store manager ask if I would be willing to print a booklet of them for him.

One of my most "famous" drinks is called a Peach Melba Martini. If you have ever had a Peach Melba for dessert you will recognize the flavors instantly. Peach Melba is my favorite dessert. I always have it for my birthday. It is made of fresh peaches topped with a few scoops of vanilla ice cream and then a raspberry sauce with fresh raspberries is poured over the ice cream. Of course it is topped with gobs of fresh whipped cream. The fruit being fresh makes the tart/sweet combination perfect for a mixed drink.

Here is the recipe for the martini:

1 1/2 ounces vanilla vodka
1 ounce peach schnapps or peach brandy
1 ounce raspberry pucker
splash of heavy cream

Shake well and serve in chilled champagne glass with frozen raspberries as a garnish. You can also float some lightly whipped heavy cream on top for extra creaminess, but it isn't necessary.

This is a great drink for after dinner.

Master Quench

This past weekend we were in the Berkshires and I had one of my latest favorite drinks. It is called the Master Quench. It has some ingredients that sound like they don't belong together but it is out of this world. It is made with vanilla vodka, maple syrup, cayenne pepper and ginger beer.

Now, I love maple syrup; the real stuff only! And, the combination of the bite of the cayenne and the ginger beer is perfectly matched and soothed by the sweetness of the maple syrup. It leaves a warm feeling in your throat but holds no burn.

This has led me to contemplate more combinations with maple syrup. I will post them when I have tried them.

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