The Book: Sweet Potato Pie; The Bite: Sweet Potato Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Cheese Filling!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
(POST 3 OF 3)

The Book!
There is nothing stronger than the bond of family in this children's book, "Sweet Potato Pie" where a family joins together to solve a problem faced when a drought sweeps across their county. Thoughtfully written by author Kathleen Lindsay and published by Lee & Low Books (September 1, 2003).

Sweet Potato Pie: "The summer a great drought sweeps across the county, the only crop Sadie's family is able to save is the sweet potatoes. Money is tight, and if Papa doesn't pay back his loan soon, the bank will take away the farm.

Suddenly Mama comes up with an idea — sweet potato pies! The family can sell her pies at the Harvest Celebration that starts the very next day. There's not much time to get ready, but as Sadie and her brother enlist the cooperation of their old cow, squawking chickens, and half-blind goat, the family rises to the challenge. And in the end it's Sadie who comes up with just the right recipe for success.

Sweet Potato Pie is a delicious affirmation of strong family ties and creative problem solving. This lively story will capture your heart, as well as your taste buds. Loosely based on Lindsey's memories of her great grandmother's stories, the story took shape in Lindsey's mind as she sewed a quilt called "Sweet Potato Pie."

Book Stats:
Genre - Children's, Fiction
Page Count - 32
Target Age Group - 5 to 8
Theme(s) - Family, Food

The Bite! 

Sweet Potato Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Cheese Filling!

This year for Thanksgiving I was tasked with bringing some of the vegetable side dishes. Besides a couple of savory vegetable sides I will be cooking, I decided to also bring something sweet; but still use vegetables. The sweet potato. I thought about bringing the traditional sweet potato pie, but my niece Jurnee does such a wonderful job at making them, I thought it best not to even try to attempt to steal her thunder...besides I think she would win that challenge hands down! So I thought I would try something different using sweet potatoes--Sweet Potato Whoopie Pies. Moist, flavorful, and delicious; they might not last long enough to make it to Thanksgiving dinner! (Ummmm, yeah, I had to make a second batch the next day because my family wouldn't stop eating them, LOL). Try them, they are sure to be a hit! Here is a pictorial step by step guide to making your own. Enjoy!
Note: Unfortunately, I ran out of time to make the Pecan Cinnamon Crunch Coating (listed below), but I still wanted to keep the ingredients on this post for future reference.  :(

Pictured: Ingredients for the Whoopie Pie Cookie

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Whoopie Pie Cookie:

2-1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour 

3/4 cup White Sugar
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
3 tsps Cinnamon
1 tsp Allspice
1/2 cup Butter (1 stick), softened
15 oz can Sweet Potatoes (drain syrup)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Egg

Pictured: Ingredients for the Maple Cream Cheese Filling

Maple Cream Cheese Filling:

1/2 cup Butter (1 stick)

8 oz Cream Cheese
Approx. 4 cups Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Tbsps Pure Maple Syrup

Pecan Cinnamon Crunch Coating:
(Note: I unfortunately ran out of time to make the coating)

Graham Crackers (about 5)
1/4 cup Butter (1/2 stick butter), melted
1/4 cup Pecans (chopped)
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1/2 Tbsp White Sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Place flour in a bowl.

Add the cinnamon, allspice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Mix flour mixture well, then set aside.

In a separate bowl, place butter (if still hard/cold, then microwave for about 15 seconds). 

Add sugars.

Mix sugars and butter well.

Drain syrup from sweet potatoes, then mash potatoes with a fork or spoon.

Add mashed sweet potatoes, egg, and vanilla to the sugar/butter mixture.

Mix well.

Incorporate flour into sweet potato mixture.

Continue to incorporate flour.

Your cookie dough should look like the picture above.

Spoon cookie dough onto pan. 

Spray or place oil on back of a spoon and use the spoon to shape dough.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Make sure not to overbake!

Remove from oven and cool completely. Set aside.

Ingredients to make the maple cream cheese filling. 

Soften butter and cream cheese; blend together.
Mix in vanilla and maple syrup.
Then gradually stir in powdered sugar.

Mix icing until you attain the correct consistency.

Spoon icing between two cookies.

Sprinkle tops with powdered sugar.

Voila!

Sweet Potato Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Cheese Filling!

Sweet Potato Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Cheese Filling!

Sweet Potato Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Cheese Filling!

Sweet Potato Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Cheese Filling!

Sweet Potato Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Cheese Filling!

Sweet Potato Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Cheese Filling!

Sweet Potato Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Cheese Filling!

The Book: Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey; The Bite: Not Your Mama's Shepherd's Pie!

The Book!
The following Young Adult novel came highly recommended by my fourteen year old daughter; which says a lot considering that she at this stage in her young life thinks that reading is highly overrated...sigh. The book, "Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey" was written by author Margaret Peterson Haddix in 1996, but has since had a slight makeover and re-released in 2011 by publisher, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey: "Everyone has to keep a journal in Mrs. Dunphrey's English class, but the teacher has promised she won't read any entry marked "Do not read this." It's the kind of assignment Tish Bonner, one of the girls with big hair who sit in the back row, usually wouldn't take very seriously. But right now, Tish desperately needs someone to talk to, even if it's only a notebook she doesn't dare let anyone read. 

As Tish's life spins out of control, the entries in her journal become more and more private...and dangerous. Is she risking everything that matters to her by putting the truth on paper? And is she risking more by keeping silent?"

Book Stats:
Genre - Young Adult
Page Count - 132
Target Age Group - 12 and up
Theme(s) - Teenage life, neglect and abuse, teen poverty

The Bite! 

Not Your Mama's Shepherd's Pie!

Although Tish's character in the novel is employed at a burger joint, I opted not to make plain ol' burgers, but rather cook a dish using hamburger meat. This a-typical "Shepherd's Pie" is bursting with flavor, and cheese; that's why I call it, "Not Your Mama's Shepherd's Pie!" Here is a pictorial step by step guide to make your own. Hope you enjoy!

Here are the ingredients used to make the dish. Note that not all items are pictured; missing from the picture is the beef broth, flour, and vegetables.
Also note that I used ground beef and sausage meats instead of the traditional lamb.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef (I used ground chuck)
1 lb. ground sausage (I used Owens brand of sausage)
12 oz. bag of frozen peas, carrots, and corn (defrosted)
2 to 3 pounds of potatoes (about 3 to 4 potatoes--I used Russet potatoes)
1 small onion (chopped)
3 garlic cloves (chopped)
about 1 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 to 2 tbsp. ketchup
1 and 2 tbsp. butter
1/3 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup + 1/4 cup beef broth
1 tsp. each of salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder (for potatoes)
1/2 tsp. each of pepper and ground marjoram (for potatoes)
eyeball pepper, salt, smoked paprika, onion and garlic powders (for meat mixture)
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for topping
1/2 cup Jack cheese

Take 12 oz. frozen vegetables and set in bowl of water to defrost.

Peel and cut potatoes for cooking.

Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop 1 small onion and 3 cloves of garlic.

Melt 1 tbsp. butter, and approx. 1 tbsp olive oil.

Add your meats and onion to pot.

Brown mixture until meat is no longer pink and onions are translucent.
Drain fat.
I used a potato masher to break up the meat into smaller bits.

Add 1/3 cup flour.
 Stir flour into meat until coated.
Add seasonings: eyeball pepper, salt, smoked paprika, onion and garlic powders.

Add chopped garlic and 1-1/4 cup beef broth.
Stir until meat is well mixed, garlic is fragrant, and sauce begins to thicken.

Stir in the thawed vegetables and 1 to 2 tbsp. ketchup.
Mix until well blended.

Transfer meat mixture into a 9x13 baking dish.

Sprinkle cheddar cheese over meat mixture.

Drain potatoes and return to pot.

Add 2 tbsp of butter and 1/3 cup cream cheese to the potatoes.

Mix potatoes and add 1/4 cup whipping cream, plus a little extra as needed for desired thickness (or thinness).
Continue to mix and mash potatoes until desired potato consistency.

Add the seasoning to potatoes: 1 tsp. smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. onion powder, 1/2 tsp. ground marjoram, and 1 tsp. salt.
Mix well.

Add in your cheese. I used 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese/Jack cheese blend.
Mash potatoes until well blended.

Spoon potatoes onto meat mixture in baking dish.

Sprinkle top of potatoes with more cheese.

Add a dash of pepper and smoked paprika to top of dish.

Ready for the oven.

Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.
Sides should be bubbling and top somewhat browned when done.

Not Your Mama's Shepherd's Pie!

Not Your Mama's Shepherd's Pie!

Not Your Mama's Shepherd's Pie!

Time to serve.

Not Your Mama's Shepherd's Pie!

Not Your Mama's Shepherd's Pie!

Not Your Mama's Shepherd's Pie!