Sweet Potato Apple Butter Casserole

Sweet potato apple butter casserole combines the delightful tastes of fall in a hearty dish that’s easy to assemble and cook. It’s delicious any time of year!

Sweet Potato Apple Butter Casserole

Sweet Potato Apple Butter Casserole

Course Side Dish
Servings 8
Calories 325 kcal

Ingredients
  

Sweet Potatoes:

  • 2 lbs sweet potatoes
  • ¾ cup old fashioned apple butter
  • ¼ cup butter, melted (½ stick)
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • ½ tsp salt

Topping:

  • ¾ cup pecans
  • ½ cup dates
  • ¼ cup almond flour
  • 2 tsp butter, melted

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 425℉  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay whole sweet potatoes in a single layer.  Pierce each potato several times with a fork.
  • Bake potatoes for 40-60 minutes (depending on size) until they are puffed and fork-tender.  Remove from oven.  Allow to cool slightly and then remove potatoes from their skins.
  • Turn oven back to 350℉.  Coat 1½ quart casserole (or 8” square pan) with cooking spray.
  • Place apple butter, ¼ cup of melted butter, eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a mixing bowl.  Combine with an electric mixer or whisk.  Add potatoes and continue to beat until the mixture is smooth.  Spread into the casserole.
  • Roughly chop pecans and dates.  Mix in 2 tbsp melted butter and almond flour.  Sprinkle over potatoes.
  • Bake for 20-30 minutes until bubbly and hot with an internal temperature of 160℉.  
  • Hack:  Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or packaged in serving-sized portions and frozen for up to 12 months.
  • Hack:  The sweet potato portion of this dish can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.  Sprinkle topping on before baking and allow a few extra minutes of baking time for the cold dish to come up to temp.
Keyword apple butter, date topping, gluten-free, pecan topping, potato casserole, side dish, sweet potato, sweet potato casserole, vegetarian, vegetarian side dish

Did you know?  Sweet potatoes have a surprising number of health benefits including maintaining blood pressure and insulin levels!

Suggestion:  Use leftover apple butter to make apple butter muffins or pork chops with apple butter and onions.

Crispy Fried Green Tomatoes

Crispy fried green tomatoes is one of my favs, made more special due to the short window of green tomatoes! I love it when my gardening friends share!

Crispy Fried Green Tomatoes

Crispy Fried Green Tomatoes

Course Side Dish, Snack
Servings 1 slice
Calories 74 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 large green tomatoes
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup milk
  • ½ cup flour, divided
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ cup cornmeal
  • ¾ cup butter (1½ stick)

Instructions
 

  • Cut tomatoes into ½“ slices and set aside.
  • In a small, shallow bowl, mix ¼ cup flour, salt, sugar and pepper.
  • In another small shallow bowl, whisk egg and milk.
  • In a third bowl, mix the remaining flour and cornstarch.
  • Dredge each tomato slice in flour mixture, dip in egg mixture and coat with cornmeal mixture. Lay slices in a single layer on a flat surface and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes.
  • Melt ½ cup butter in a heavy skillet over medium until it begins to foam and sizzle around the edges.
  • Carefully place tomato slices in the pan and fry for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Do this in batches so as not to crowd the slices in the pan. Add more butter as necessary.
  • When cooked, remove slices from the pan to paper towels or rack to drain. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before eating.
Keyword breaded, easy, green tomato, home grown, pan fried, side dish, snack, unripened tomato, vegetable, vegetarian

Did you know?  While green tomatoes have fewer health benefits than their fully ripened counterparts, they still have a great nutritional profile!

Suggestion:  Serve with ranch dressing, if desired.

Homemade Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce / Dressing

This sweet and tart honey mustard dipping sauce is my favorite to have with chicken tenders! It also gives spark to a garden salad. What will you use it for?

Homemade Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce / Dressing

Homemade Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce / Dressing

Course Salad Dressing
Servings 4
Calories 145 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup spicy brown mustard
  • 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup

Instructions
 

  • Whisk together mayonnaise and mustard. Add maple syrup. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Keyword chicken tenders, creamy salad dressing, dipping sauce, honey, mustard, salad dressing, sweet tart, vegetarian

Did you know?  We tend to think of mustard as “just” a condiment but it also has some awesome health benefits!

Suggestion:  This sauce is great when paired with pan-fried chicken tenders.

Homemade Garden Fresh Tomato Soup

Creamy, rich and bursting with brightness, this garden fresh tomato soup recipe is the ultimate sidekick to a grilled cheese sandwich.  It’s also great with homemade butter biscuits for dipping!

Garden Fresh Tomato Soup

Garden Fresh Tomato Soup

Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 110 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp)
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • 4 cups fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped (about 2 pounds)
  • cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • tsp black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil and butter in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic.
  • And cook until soft but not browned, 5 to 7 minutes.  Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add tomatoes, vegetable broth, sugar, bay leaves, basil, salt and pepper.  Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, skimming off and discarding any foam from the surface.  Remove bay leaves.
  • Puree in batches using blender or food processor until smooth and return to pot to keep warm.  Add additional sugar or salt before serving, if desired.
  • Hack:  Put serving-sized leftover portions in a freezer bag or container and store them in the freezer for future use.
  • Hack:  If you have leftover tomatoes that are becoming over-ripe, simply puree them in the blender and freeze the fresh puree in sealed freezer bags or containers to use in recipes at a later date.  No need to core, peel or seed ‘em...just toss ‘em right in.  Run the puree through a mesh colander if you want to remove the seeds.
Keyword fresh tomato recipe, fresh tomato soup, fresh tomatoes, garden fresh tomato soup, homemade soup, homemade tomato soup, vegan, vegetarian

For more ways to deal with an overabundance of fresh tomatoes during the growing season (or any time), click here for advice for saving them for later use!

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