Honey-Roasted Mashed Opelousas Sweet Potatoes

And while we were together in Manitowoc for Christmas, we needed a side plate to accompany the beef tenderloin Christmas dinner.  Very Thanksgivingish, these sweet potatoes were really easy and didn't end up too sweet in the end.  Megan said that they were like good Thanksgiving sweet potatoes without that overly sweet marshmallow topping.  We would definitely make these again.

6 sweet potatoes, about 1# each
8 T (1 stick) butter, diced
1 t ground cinnamon
¼ t freshly ground nutmeg

1 cup honey

kosher salt and freshly

ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350

Peel and quarter the sweet potatoes and place them in a roasting pan.
Place the diced butter evenly on top of the potatoes, sprinkle the cinnamon and
nutmeg on top, drizzle with the honey, and season them with salt and pepper.
Gently pour about 2 cups of water into the pan without washing anything off
the potatoes.

Cover and bake for 1 ½ hours, or until the potatoes are very tender.
Remove the cover, stir and cook for 30 minutes more.
The potatoes should have a dark drown color on top and be very tender.

Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon, place them in the large bowl of an
electric mixer, and mix until all the lumps are gone. Drizzle in as much liquid from
the pan as desired. Turn off the mixer, and scrape the bowl. Continue mixing
until the potatoes have the desired consistency. Adjust seasoning, place
potatoes in a large casserole dish and serve.

(Can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Refrigerate covered, and then reheat in oven.)

Red Beans and Rice

Again, falling way behind!  I blame the holidays.  We went with a real rustic and traditional meal: red beans and rice.  Traditionally made on Mondays so the ham bone left over from your Sunday ham could be used to flavor the beans and gravy.  I don't have a ham every Sunday (believe it or not) so I went back for another ham shank to do some of the flavoring.  Overall, my Mom and I both agreed that while this was good, it is basically the most basic way you could make this traditional dish.  I had it at a great French Quarter restaurant called the Gumbo Shop and it blew my mind with fantastic smoked sausage...which this recipe does not call for.  Anyway, next time I make this I'll be sure to include some smoked or andouille sausage and I think the flavor will be perfect.

Red Beans and Rice 

Serves 8

2 lbs. dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight in cold water

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion tops

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1 1/3 tbs finely minced garlic

2 tbs minced parsley

1 lb seasoning (baked) ham, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 lb pickled pork, cut into large chunks

1 large ham bone with some meat on it

1 tbs salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

2 bay leaves, broken into quarters

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/8 tsp dried basil

2 quarts cold water

Boiled rice

Drain the soaked beans in a colander and put them, along with all the other ingredients, into a heavy 8 to 10 quart pot or kettle, adding just enough of the cold water to cover.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat and simmer on low heat for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or untilbeans are tender and a thick natural gravy has formed.  Add about a cup of water toward the end of cooking if the mixture appears too dry.  During cooking, stir frequently and scrape down the sides and across the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to prevent scorching.  Stir the entire mixture thoroughly just once about every half hour.  When the beans are cooked, turn off the heat.  To serve, ladle 1 1/2 cups ofbeans, with meat and gravy, over a portion (about 2/3 cup) of boiled rice.