Baked Sweet Potato and Chili Fries

3 ½ lbs sweet potatoes (5-6 sweet potatoes)

2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp sea salt or ¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
½ C orange juice
3 ½ tsp chili powder
1 Tbs honey
1 8 oz carton sour cream
1/3 C snipped fresh cilantro


Pre heat oven to 450. Cut each unpeeled sweet potato into 1 in thick slices. In a large ziploc bag toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange in 2 9X13 pans. In small bowl combine OJ, 3 tsp chili powder, honey. Set aside. Bake potatoes uncovered 25-30 min or until tender. Brushing 3 times with OJ mix and shaking pan occasionally. In another small bowl mix sour cream, cilantro, and remaining chili powder for dip.

*note*  I like to add more than the reccomended amout of chili to give my fries a little more kick.  Three tsp of chili powder give it a very subtle flavor.

Patti's Salsa

1 16 oz. can tomatoes
1/4 c. jalapenos
2 t. garlic salt
2 t. cumin
1 1/2 t. salt

*you can use garlic powder instead of garlic salt just add the salt
*you may not want to add the salt unless you use garlic powder
*use salt according to taste
*no jalapenos! just double the recipe and use 1 can ro-tel and 1 can of diced tomatoes

***I mix salsa and sour cream together -- yummy

Too Much Choc. Cake

1 (18.25 oz) pk. devil's food cake mix
1 (5.9 oz) pk. instant choc. pudding mix
1 c. sour cream
1 c. veg. oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. warm water
2 c. semisweet choc. chips

Mix together 1st six ingredients add choc. chips. Pour batter into a well greased 12 c. bunt pan. Bake for 50-55 mins.
Cool cake in the pan for at least 1 1/2 hrs. invert and remove from pan. Dust w/ powdered sugar. Makes 12 servings

I serve this with fresh whipped cream and a berry sauce.

Berry Sauce
1 pkg. of frozen mixed berries (or raspberry, whatever you want)
2 T. water
Cook on the stove until warm all the way through then mix it in the blender. Add it back to the stove and finish cooking with a little sugar added.

Pecan Pie

3 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. white corn syrup
1/4 lb. (1 stick) melted butter
1 t. vanilla
1 c. chopped pecans
1 uncooked pie crust

Beat eggs well. Add the rest of the ingredients in order. Pour into uncooked pie crust. Cook in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30-45 mins.

Tea Syrup

3 qts. boiling water
4 oz. tea bags
1/2 t. baking soda
5 lbs. sugar

In large sauce pan bring water to full rolling boil. Add tea bags and soda. Let it steep 5 mins. covered. Remove the tea bags and add sugar stirring until well dissolved. This makes one gallon of tea syrup. To serve use one measure of syrup to 4 measures of water or 3 cups syrup per gallon. When serving a large crowd allow 5-7 gallons of deluded tea per 100 people. Keeps well in refrigerator for several weeks.

Sweet Potato Casserole

3 C. mashed sweet potato (2 cans)
1 1/2 C. sugar
2 eggs
1t. vanilla
Combine all ingredients and pour into dish (8x8) and sprinkle with topping.

Topping:
1/3 c. butter, room temp.
1/3 c. flour
2/3 c. sugar
1 c. chopped pecans
cut butter into flour and sugar and add pecans

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 mins.

Chicken Divine

3-4 chicken breast (cooked)
1 16 oz. french style green beans (drained)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 c. mayo.
1 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
1 c. durkee onion

Rice for 4-6 people

In an 8 by 8 pan put the green beans at the bottom -top with the shredded chicken -add the mayo/soup mix on top of the chicken -then add the cheese and top with the onions --cook at 350 degrees for 30-45 mins. Serve on top of the rice