Sassy and sweet they're the talk on the street!!!



Sassy and sweet they're the talk on the street!!
2011 Sweet n'Healthy Blogger Recipe Contest

Hey Followers!!
How about serving your kids a delicious, scrumptous, yummy dish that is good for them?  I have just the dish for you.  It's my Sassy and Sweet Orange Blossoms.  Yes, they have oranges in them, but more importantly they have sweet potatoes in them too making them even better for you and your kids. 

                                       
Imagine a delicious dish that is good for you.  Why sweet n' healthy?  Because
sweet potatoes are so versatile and can be made into side dishes as well as desserts. 
Sweet potatoes aren't just for Thanksgiving.  The sweet potato is the vegetable with SUPER FOOD POWERS!

The North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission has sponsored a fun recipe contest for bloggers showing great ways to use sweet potatoes.  I wanted to join in on this fun contest and at the same time share how good for you and delicious sweet potatoes can be. 

This recipe is easy to make and is kid friendly.  Have your children help you make these for special time together.  My kids always loved to cook with mom and grandma.


Sweet potatoes are as American as apple pie, and even more so. Native Americans were already growing Sweetpotatoes when Columbus came to these shores in 1492. Sweetpotatoes have been growing in the South for as early as 1648.


Sweetpotatoes are not even potatoes! In fact, they aren't even distant cousins.
Potatoes are tubers from the solanaceae family.  Sweet potatoes are part of the morning glory family.
North Carolina sweetpotato growers planted 42,000 acres in 2009. Across the nation, 106,000 acres of sweetpotatoes were planted. North Carolina produces 40% of the national supply of sweetpotatoes.
 
At http://www.ncsweetpotatoes.com/ your children can find lots of fun and games and learn about the sweet potato also.  They can meet Spencer Sweetpotato.


Spencer Sweetpotato

  
 
 
 
So if this isn't all you want to know about sweet potatoes, please be sure to go to their web site.  As for now, I'm going to share my recipe with you!!



Photo taken from http://www.ncsweetpotatoes.com/



SWEET AND HEALTHY ORANGE BLOSSOMS

1 box white cake mix ( I use Pillsbury)

1 tsp. baking powder

1 cup orange juice

1 ½ cups sweet potatoes

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup oil

3 eggs (room temperature)

1/8 tsp. orange extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Peel 1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes and cube in equal pieces. Bring 3 cups of water to boil and add the cut sweet potatoes. Bring water back to boil and reduce heat. Simmer potatoes until fork tender (approximately 10 minutes). When done, drain water and mash the sweet potatoes until they are as smooth as possible.

3. In large mixing bowl combine white cake mix and baking powder. Add orange juice, 1 1/2 cups of mashed sweet potatoes, sour cream, oil, eggs and orange extract. Beat on low until the ingredients are all well incorporated. Next, beat for 2 minutes on medium high.

4. Spoon mix into cupcake liners until they are ¾ full.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 - 20 minutes.



Frosting

16 oz. cream cheese (softened)

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar

½ tsp. orange extract

Orange food coloring to desired shade (you can mix red and yellow)

1. Mix cream cheese , butter , orange extract and food coloring together until smooth. Add confectioner’s sugar ½ cup at a time. Mix until smooth and creamy. Spread or pipe onto cupcakes.

Decorate your cupcakes with delicious Orange Cream Cheese Frosting!!  Yummy!






Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes:


* Has a high nutrition rate when compared to other vegetables

* Rich source of anti-oxidants for protection against heart disease, stroke, cancer, and delaying the progression of Alzheimer's disease

* Among the top 3 food sources of potassium

* Low glycemic index for maintaining steady blood glucose levels

* Fat and cholesterol free

* High in fiber



Ways to add more sweet potatoes to your diet

* Pack a baked sweet potato for lunch, topped with vanilla yogurt or cinnamon-flavored applesauce

* Add peeled chunks to your favorite stew

* Switch from potato chips to sweet potato chips

* Peel and cut into strips to eat with your favorite dip

* Blend into a breakfast smoothie

* Substitute in recipes calling for white potatoes or apples

Hope you pick up some sweet potatoes and enjoy them.  You can check http://www.ncsweetpotatoes.com/ for recipes and more information.  Some of the information in this posting was copied from their website but there is much, much more!!