Easy Sweet Potato Casserole - Candied Yams

All I see online are recipes that require so much work, when a sweet potato casserole should be so easy. No boiling, no mashing, no mixing, no "saucing" should be necessary. My recipe just requires the oven and a baking dish, and the results are perfect every time.

Summary: Just peel, slice, spice, bake, and baste

Great for fall and winter time holiday meals.  This is a simple recipe...very few ingredients, but extremely delicious.

It is important to baste during the cooking process in order to ensure the right flavor and to prevent any potatoes from drying out.

Ingredients

• 4 large sweet potatoes (peeled and slices into 1/2" medallions)
• 2-3 Tbsp allergy free butter substitute, like SmartBalance (or butter)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1 bag marshmallows
• splash of fresh lemon juice - optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Place sweet potato medallions on 9x11 baking dish, make about 2 layers
3. Place dabs of butter all over the potatoes
4. Scatter brown sugar all over the potatoes
5. Sprinkle the cinnamon and nutmeg on top
6. Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes, basting with juices every 15 min
7. When potatoes are tender, remove foil and top with marshmallows
8. Turn heat up to 475/500 and bake until marshmallows are browned
9. Remove from oven and let cool

Contributed By:  Dayce Schrieber

My allergy-free recipes on my blog EverydayIcook.com

Roasted Pork Shoulder Picnic - Carnitas

Also known as carnitas, this particular recipe is extremely simple.  I've seen some that require a ton of ingredients and prep work, but who needs all that when the family is hungry and you have to cook all your meals yourself to eliminate allergens.  We generally serve the pork with rice, chips, salsa, avocado, etc., with a side of plantains.  The rest was frozen and used for an enchilada recipe with cilantro and green taco sauce that I love.

Brining Instructions:

• Purchase one 9 to 12 lb pork picnic (pork shoulder picnic)
• Mix 1 cup of kosher or sea salt until dissolved in 1 gal. (16 cups) of water in deep stock pot
• Place pork into pot and add more water and salt iff needed to completely cover the pork
• Set in refrigerator for at least 12 hours

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 300 F
2. Slice one med-large onion in half and set each half on either side of a large roasting pan with rack (glass baking dish will also work).
3. Set 3-5 cloves of unpeeled garlic around roasting pan
4. Combine 3 Tbsp kosher or sea salt with 2 Tbsp cumin and 1 Tbsp black pepper
5. Spread onto all sides of the brined pork picnic
6. Set pork picnic on rack of roasting pan, ensure onion halves are faced so that the open side is against the pork or up
7. Score the top of the pork deep through the skin and into the meat (5 to 6 slices one direction and 5 to 6 slices crosswise).
8. Place pan into middle rack of oven and cook uncovered for 7.5 to 10 hours, depending on the size of the roast

Here's some tips when making your pork picnic:

1. Score the skin through to the meat on top.  Scoring the skin is how you end up with crunchy chicharron.
2. Split med-large onions in half, and lay cut-side-up on the roasting pan
3. Carve the onion out when done and use as desired...I recommend as stuffing for your enchiladas, tacos or quesadillas
4. There is hidden meat, so check around the skin and hock carefully with your CLEAN fingers
5. Let cool and refrigerate well before freezing.  The colder it is before freezing, then better the meat when thawed and reused
6. To use left over meat for a quick meal, pan fry with tomatoes and spices or your favorite salsa and add cheese, then top onto tortillas or anything you can think of.
7. Use the pork hock for soup.  Most recently, I tossed it into a large sauce pot with water and spices and turned it into a delicious, huge, stock.  I used that stock later that day to make split pea soup.  It came out really well and the hint of cumin was very complimentary - I was a little surprised, but just took a chance.

Contributed by:  Dayce Schrieber

My allergy-free recipes on my blog EverydayIcook.com

Healthy, Gluten-Free Shepherd's Pie

Summary: Until my vacation in the Chesapeake Bay last week, I would have assumed that shepherd's pie was a gluten-free dish by default.  Apparently not.  That experience alone, however, did not inspire me to post this recipe.  What put me over the edge was when I searched for a recipe the ratio of meat to veggies was insane; most recipes treated vegetables like a seasoning or even a garnish.  So, I had to post a healthier, more balanced version of the beloved shepherd's pie recipe so that everyone could enjoy this dish more often.

Make this dairy-free byomitting the sour cream and substituting in Rice Milk and a dairy-free version of Smart Balance margarine.

Ingredients

• Potatoes - lots
• 1/2 to 3/4 lb Ground Meat (beef, lamb, etc.)
• 1/4 c. sour cream (optional)
• 1/2 c. cream or milk (substitute rice milk if needed and add a tablespoon of Smart Balance butter if you like)
• 1 med/lg onion, chopped
• 1/2 lb Carrots
• 1/2 lb Peas (fresh or frozen)
• 6-8 oz mushrooms, chopped (baby bella, button, etc)
• Worcestershire sauce Beef broth (optional)
• Corn Starch (optional)
• Oregano
• Goya Adoba seasoning
• Fresh ground pepper
• Paprika (optional)

Instructions

1. Boil a large pot of water with a few dashes of salt for potatoes
2. Peel and dice the potatoes (1 sq. inch pieces)
3. Heat large skillet on high heat
4. Once hot, add ground beef and stir to break up while browning Season with Goya Adobo
5. Once beef is half browned, add chopped onion and stir to mix in and cook evenly
6. Add oregano (about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon)
7. Add a little more Adobo seasoning
8. Add carrots and stir in to cook evenly
9. Add peas and stir in to cook evenly
10. Add mushrooms and several splashes of Worchestershire sauce and stir to incorporate
11. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes stirring a few times
12. Add beef broth and stir Mix tablespoon of beef broth with 1/2 to 2/3 teaspoons of corn starch and slowly add to skillet while stirring to incorporate evenly
13. Reduce heat to medium and stir for a couple of minutes to thicken evenly
14. Turn off heat for skillet Strain potatoes and return to empty pot
15. To potatoes, add Goya Adobo, sour cream, cream, and ground pepper then smash or whip
16. On a large baking dish, empty the skillet of meat and veggies and smooth evenly
17. Evenly spread the potatoes over the meat and veg. mixture
18. Sprinkle paprika over the potatoes, just enough to give a little color
19. Broil on high on the rack second from the top for 15 minutes, but pull out before potatoes start to brown
20. Serve hot in wide, shallow bowls or plate

I welcome your comment below if you like this recipe, tried it, or have suggestions for improvements.  

Contributed by:  Dayce Schrieber

My allergy-free recipes on my blog EverydayIcook.com