This is a great way to use sweet potatoes or yams during the fall because they are generally on sale. It's healthier because you are choosing what fat and how much, and tastier because they are all seasoned up!

3 large Sweet Potatoes or Yams, peeled and cut into pieces
1/4 cup Olive Oil, extra virgin preferred
1/4 cup Maple Syrup
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons paprika
dash of salt

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Note: when cutting up the sweet potatoes, the pieces will be rougher than a normal potato. This is okay! Just be careful with your fingers, and work to "crack" the sweet potato with your knife rather than trying to slice.

Put all ingredients in a large resealable bag. Toss to mix and coat. Put into a large baking dish - I use an 11 x 15 glass pan because it's easier to turn.

Bake for about 45 minutes, flipping the pieces every 15 minutes. Check for doneness with a fork, the pieces will start to fall apart as you flip them and you'll know they are ready.

This recipe was originally added to theredkitchen in April 2003. Since that time, I've made some modifications to be slightly healthier and to work better with the blending steps.

My dad had something similar to this at a restaurant and decided to try to recreate it. It makes the whole house smell of curry powder, and is delicious!

2 cans chicken broth (4 cups)
4 cups skim milk
1/2 cup flour (either whole wheat or all purpose)
1/2 cup butter + 1T for celery
5 sticks of celery, sliced into small pieces
curry powder to taste (1-4 Tablespoons)
3 chicken strips from the deli or baked chicken
frozen peas (garnish)

Melt 1T of butter in a frying pan. Add celery and and sprinkle on curry powder. Sautee the celery, periodically adding additional curry powder until the celery is crispy and full coated. The celery will decrease in size during this process.

At the same time as the celery is cooking, you can start the thickening roux. In a large soup pot, melt remaining 1/2 cup of butter. Add flour and cook to bubbling. Slowly add broth and then milk and cook over medium-low, stirring regularly, until boiling.

Remove from heat and add celery to the soup pot. Use your stick blender or a traditional blender (in batches) to cream the soup fully.

Return to heat and boil. Stir constantly until thick.

Chop chicken stripes or vegetarian meat into bite size pieces. Put soup in bowls and garnish with frozen peas and the meat pieces.

Serves nicely with a fresh baguette (long loaf of bread) torn off instead of cut.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger
2 tablespoons finely chopped dried apricots
1 tablespoon cardamom

glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons water, or more as needed
1 drop yellow food coloring
1 drop red food coloring

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Slowly add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cardamom, and mix to combine. Add ginger and apricots.

Using a cookie scoop or lightly greased hands, make small scoops or balls of dough onto baking pans (non-stick or use silpat baking sheets).

Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden. Let stand on cooking sheet at least 5 minutes before moving to cooling racks.

For glaze, mix all ingredients, and add more water if needed to make a drizzly substance. Use a fork to quickly add a small amount of glaze to each cookie.

1 small butternut squash
2 cups uncooked pasta
1 1/2T butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
nutmeg
pepper
salt
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup ricotta
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2T shredded parmesan reggianno cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cube a butternut squash into small, bite-sized pieces. Spray a pan with cooking spray or olive oil and put the cubed squash on top. Sprinkle salt to taste and grind fresh pepper over the cubes and spray with cooking spray on top. Roast for 1 hour, checking periodically to toss the pieces with a spatula. Poke cubes with a fork to ensure doneness.

Toast walnuts in the oven for 5 minutes - this can be in the oven with the butternut squash.

Boil water with some salt. Add 2 cups of pasta - whole wheat preferably - as instructed on the package.

Make a white sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Add flour, nutmeg, and more fresh ground pepper, and cook until bubbly. Add milk and wisk regularly until thickened (about 5-10 minutes on medium-low heat).

Add cooked pasta and cooked butternut squash to the white sauce, folding gently as the butternut squash may break apart if you move it too much. Move this to a baking dish. Top with tablespoonfuls of ricotta. Sprinkle on cheeses, walnuts, and extra nutmeg.

Bake covered with lid or foil for 20 minutes and then 5 minutes uncovered to crisp at the end.

1 batch of homemade raviolis (see below)
1/2 head of garlic, roasted (see below)
2 tablespoons oil, divided
3 tablespoons of pine nuts
1/2 medium red pepper, finely chopped
2 cups baby spinach, cleaned and sliced through several times
Handful of fresh chiffonaded basil (see how to chiffonade basil)
1/2 cup Craisins
1/4 cup parmesan

Toast the pine nuts in a frying pan for 5-10 minutes, stirring regularly until lightly browned. Move to a dish on the side.

Put the roasted garlic into a large skill with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook for several minutes to loosen up the cloves, mashing slightly while cooking. Add cooked (boiled then drained) ravioli carefully and stir gently with the garlic. Add in the red pepper and cook several minutes.

Take off heat and add baby spinach and herbs. This will let them wilt slightly from the warmth of the pan. Now toss in the Craisins and previously prepared pine nuts, along with the parmesan cheese.

Move to plates and serve with more cheese on top.

Note: you could also add parsley or oregano along with the basil for additional flavors.

Adapted from Yogurt Biscuits on AllRecipes.

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons cold margarine or butter
1 tablespoon white sugar
2/3 cup non-fat plain yogurt

Combine flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut in margarine until crumbly. In a measuring cup, combine yogurt and sugar; stir into the dry ingredients until just moistened.

In the bowl, knead the dough together 4 or 5 times. Place on a baking sheet (either coated with non-stick spray or use a silpat baking liner). Pat dough into a 8" x 4" rectangle. Cut into eight square rolls but do not separate (this is a perforation for breaking apart. Bake at 450° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

These are good warm from the oven or as leftovers the next day when split in half and toasted.