Feastin'

Friends, it's been way too long since I've posted anything.  Shame!  So, I figured I should at least put something out there for Turkey Day tomorrow.  If there's anything Southerners know how to do well, it's cooking a mess of delicious food to enjoy with family and friends, in celebration of our country's beloved gluttonous holiday.

I came across a yummy sweet potato recipe recently and made it as a side dish for dinner one night.  I had a bit of leftovers, so decided to use it to make my own on-the-fly version of a sweet potato casserole.  (Back story:  Aubrey's Thanksgiving party at preschool is today, and the parents are bringing dishes to share.  I needed something gluten-free and kid-friendly, and had to whip it up in a pinch because he originally wasn't going to school today since my parents are in town.  But plans changed, and I was super thankful that he could still go and party with his buddies!)  So, I got to cooking at 7 am, but this was pretty easy.

I used my leftover Orange-Glazed Sweet Potatoes (recipe below), layered them with some slices of baked apple (recipe following the first) and topped it all off with a light layer of marshmallows, and baked it up in the oven until everything was gooey and melty.  YUM!  I highly recommend trying out the sweet potatoes, and perhaps you'll  find Thanksgiving inspiration in the casserole.  Gobble gobble!

Orange-Glazed Sweet Potatoes (Southern Living)

Ingredients

• 6 medium sized sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. orange zest
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Peel potatoes, cut into 1 inch thick slices; arrange in a single layer in 2 lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dishes.
2. Stir together brown sugar and next 5 ingredients; pour over potatoes.  Cover with aluminum foil.
3. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until fork-tender.  Uncover and bake 5 more minutes or until glaze becomes syrupy.

If making this casserole, apples can cook at the same time as the potatoes.  Peel and thinly slice 4 gala apples, and place them in a baking dish.  Drop in two pats of butter, a sprinkling of brown sugar and cinnamon, and cook for about 30 minutes, or until tender.  Stir once halfway through.

Once sweet potatoes and apples are cooked, layer the apples over the sweet potatoes and top with marshmallows.  Bake for about 10 minutes, or until melted. 

Chicken Tostadas with Avocado Cream

Here was dinner last night... each individual serving was like eating a giant chicken nacho...yes, please!  I adapted this recipe from Southern Living (of course) but made quite a few changes that I think are much better than the original.  So here is my version:

Ingredients

6 (6-inch) fajita-size corn tortillas

1/2 (8-oz.) container sour cream

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 medium avocado, halved

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided

1 small garlic clove, or 1/2 large clove

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1/4 cup fajita seasoning 

1 1/3 cups (5 1/2 oz.) shredded Mexican four-cheese blend

1/2 cup tomato and green chile, drained (Rotel)

Preparation

1. Place chicken in a medium pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes on  medium high or until cooked through.  Once cooked, shred chicken and place in a medium mixing bowl.  While the chicken is still hot, stir in fajita mix and toss well to coat.  Set aside.
2. Preheat broiler with oven rack 4 inches from heat. Arrange tortillas in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil 5 minutes or until lightly browned, turning after 3 minutes.
3. Pulse sour cream, lime juice, salt, 1 avocado half, garlic, and 1 Tbsp. cilantro in a food processor or blender 20 to 30 seconds or until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Chop remaining avocado half.
4. Divide chicken among tortillas; sprinkle with cheese. Broil 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.
5. Top each with avocado-sour cream mixture, chopped avocado, Rotel, and desired toppings. Sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbsp. cilantro.

This was the first time I have made this, and it will be making the recipe rotation in our house from now on.  It was filling, flavorful, and nutritious.  You can cut back even further by using reduced fat sour cream and reduced fat cheese (but who would want to do that?!) 

This can be a great gluten-free option as well.  I know quite a few people who are going gluten- free out of dietary necessity, and the biggest complaint is that it is tough to find gluten-free foods that are tasty.  Because all the ingredients in this recipe are naturally gluten-free, this one's a no-brainer. 

*For those who must strictly adhere, I did double- check the sour cream, which can sometimes contain whey-stabilizers.  The store brand I used (Lucerne, from Safeway) does not contain these stabilizers, and is safe.  Also, be sure to check your fajita seasoning.  For example, McCormick seasoning can not guarantee the mixes are entirely gluten-free, but they do guarantee their single spices are gluten-free.  So if it's dietary necessity, consider making your own fajita mix from their single spices just to be on the safe side.

I love that this recipe covers most of your food groups and contains a healthy portion of avocado, the wonder food!  Enjoy!