Sweet Potato “Hummus” – So Close

One of my all-time favorite things to do is take an iconic recipe, and somehow tweak it to maybe make it easier, healthier, or tastier; which was definitely not what happened here. This was simply a case of me wanting hummus, not having garbanzo beans, and making it anyway with sweet potatoes, which, much to my amazement, came out remarkably well.

I don’t blame you if you're skeptical, but this stuff really does have almost the same taste and texture as hummus. It has a little bit of a sweeter finish, which reminded me of a red pepper hummus, but all in all, it’s very close. In fact, my wife Michele, who has a much more discerning palate than I do, said that if she were blindfolded, she’d have trouble identifying this as not being actual hummus.

However, to get this close to what you think hummus tastes like, please be prepared to adjust the ingredient amounts to your liking. Some folks like just a hint of garlic and lemon, while others like to be crushed by it. Same goes for the tahini, and other seasonings, so taste, and adjust accordingly.

Of course, since the name, “hummus” comes from the Arabic word for chickpeas, one can make a strong argument that this isn’t hummus, and therefore shouldn’t be called hummus. But those people don’t have to worry about search engine results, which is why I just worked the word “hummus” into this paragraph four times. Actually, let’s make it five, as I say I really do hope you give this easy, and delicious alternative hummus a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 2 cups of Sweet Potato Hummus:

2 cups mashed, roasted sweet potatoes

1/3 cup tahini

2 cloves crushed garlic

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon chipotle

pinch cayenne

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 lemon, juiced, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons cold fresh water whipped in to lighten texture, optional

freshly chopped parsley to garnish

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Lemon Poppy Seed Scone with Fresh Strawberry Glaze – These Passed the Test…Will You?

Certain things just go together, like lemon and poppy seeds, or gorgeous, freshly baked scones and a fancy brunch, which is why, with Mother’s Day coming up, the timing for these may be perfect. And yes, I was kidding about the poppy seeds affecting your Mom’s drug test, although if there are issues, I believe my joke disclaimer in the intro shields me from any liability.

The method for making these scones is very simple, but can be a little scary for a novice baker, since the dough starts off in such rough shape, but if you’re able to wrestle it all together on the table, verses mixing into a dough ball in the bowl, you’ll be rewarded with a much more tender scone. Having said that, even a slightly tough lemon poppy seed scone is a great thing to eat, so don’t stress either way.

Once again I’m using self-rising flour, and hope you do the same. It just works better for these recipes, and every serious baker should have some in their pantry. If you want to make your own, for every cup of regular all-purpose flour, just sift in a teaspoon and a half of baking powder, and a half teaspoon of fine salt. But regardless of which flour you use, or how you glaze these, I really do hope you give them a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

2 3/4 cups self-rising flour (see note in blog post above)

1 stick (4 ounces) very cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

1/2 cup white sugar

grated lemon zest from one lemon

1 large beaten egg

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/3 to 1/2 cup whole milk or as needed

- Bake at 375 F. for about 25 minutes

For the Strawberry Glaze:

3 or 4 strawberries, cut in quarters, and then finely mashed

enough powdered sugar to make a thick spreadable glaze

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White Bread – Good For You In Other Ways

For most of my early life, I ate sandwiches almost exclusively on white bread, and wasn’t thrilled when whole wheat was the only option, like when staying at a friend’s house. Thanks a lot, someone else’s mom. Then everything changed. I went out into the world, learned about nutrition, and fiber, and just how delicious a well made, whole-grain loaf of bread could be.

Before I knew it, I was eating all my sandwiches exclusively on wheat bread, and wasn’t thrilled when white was the only choice, like when visiting a friend’s house. Thanks a lot, someone else’s wife. Now, I’ve reached a new phase of my life, when I can enjoy, and appreciate them both. I mostly eat whole grain breads, but occasionally will indulge in some white, which if we’re being honest, really is a much more special bread eating experience, especially for sandwiches.

Whether we’re talking tuna, or chicken salad, the buttery, slightly sweet, but mostly neutral flavor of white bread really lets the main ingredients shine, and I can now enjoy it almost guilt free. So, whether you’re a nostalgic baby boomer like me, or just a curious millennial “wondering” what a classic white bread tastes like, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 1 loaf:

1 1/4 cups warm whole milk

1 package dry active yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)

1 large beaten egg

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine salt

2 3/4 to 3 cups all-purpose flour, or enough to achieve the texture seen here

3 tablespoons very soft unsalted butter

- Bake at 350 F. for about 30 minutes

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Southern-Style Baked Banana Pudding – A Better Banana Cream Pie

If you like banana cream pie, you’ll absolutely love baked banana pudding. Not only is there no piecrust to mess with, but I think the vanilla wafer cookies pair even more perfectly with the fruit and custardy pudding. 

Speaking of banana cream pie, don’t even think of skipping the meringue topping. Sure, whipped cream, or God forbid “whipped topping,” might be a tad easier, but we need to use up those four egg whites anyway, so do it right.

As I said in the video, this is classically made in a clear glass bowl or deep baking dish, so that you can see the beautiful banana pudding beneath the meringue. That is a great look, but as long as it’s oven-safe, and you can fit everything in, any baking dish will work. We’re not really “baking” the pudding, but just browning the top, so the depth or shape of the pan isn’t really that important.

What is important though, is that you use nice ripe, soft bananas. We want them close to the same texture as the custard-soaked cookies, to really get the full effect, so make sure you buy them at least a week before you make this. Other than that, not much can go wrong with this Southern classic. In fact, this is so simple, and kid-friendly, it’d be a great thing to make for mom on Mother’s Day, which is why I really hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown's Famous Version
Ingredients for 8 Portions:
(I used a 10-inch baking dish)
For the pudding:

1 box vanilla wafers (you’ll have extra)

3 or 4 very ripe bananas, peeled, and sliced

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the custard:

4 large egg yolks

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

2 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon banana liquor, optional

1 tablespoon cold butter

For the meringue topping:

4 large egg whites

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 tablespoons white sugar

- Bake at 400 F. for 7-10 minutes, or until nicely browned
-- I think this is best served cold, but suit yourself! 

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