INGREDIENTS:

2-3 medium yams- cut in half length wise, skin on
1 Tablespoon olive oil
½ an onion – diced
½ an apple – diced
4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed or sub ½ lb chicken breast
2 teaspoons Ras el Hanout
spice blend
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoon maple syrup
½ cup chopped cilantro, divided
¼ cup chopped scallions

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Place yams, cut side down on parchment lined baking sheet and roast for 30-40 minutes until tender.

2. While yams are roasting make  filling. Saute onion and apple in olive oil, in a large skillet, over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes. Turn heat to medium. Add garlic. Saute 4 more minutes then add chick peas and spices, salt and pepper. Continue cooking a few more minutes. Stir in maple syrup. At this point, it may seem a little spicy, but when stuffed into the sweet potato, the flavors will mellow a bit. Stir in half of the cilantro. Turn heat off.

3. When yams are tender, flip them right side up, and slit the middle gently with a knife and divide the filling, spooning it over the yams. Place back in a warm oven until ready to serve.

4. Garnish with fresh cilantro and scallions and a drizzle of “smoked” yogurt.

SMOKED YOGURT DRIZZLE

¼ cup plain yogurt or soy yogurt
(best with low fat or full fat,
not fat-free)
1/8 cup water
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Place in a squirty bottle and keep in the fridge.

We would love to see your Taste of Woodloch creations. When you make one of these dishes, take a photo and tag us on social media with the hashtag #ATasteOfWoodloch.

In fact, there was so much snow that the fallout could actually be seen from outer space. Mother Nature seemed to drop the mic on us this time.

While we were all snowed in, we at least had some important football games to watch- it seems we’ll be watching Cam Newton, the King of Dabbing, take on Peyton Manning and what very well could be his last ride. The stage is set for an incredible Super Bowl in less than two weeks.

Which got me thinking. Both the game and additional snow storms are sure to be on the horizon, and what better way to stay warm and content than with delicious game day grub? I chased down a few of your favorite chefs and we decided to share some of Woodloch’s more unique recipes for the big game.

Even Tom Brady wouldn’t be able to resist– you know, as he’s watching the game contently from his couch.

THE JOE MONTANA CHILI POT

An eternal Game Day STAPLE. Simply “the best.”

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. EVOO
• 1 pound ground beef or turkey
• 1 red onion
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 summer squash, chopped
• 2 chiles, seeded and chopped
• 1 Tbsp. paprika
• 1-12 oz. bottle beer
• 1-28 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp. fresh thyme chopped
• Zested peel and juice of 1 lime
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup shredded smoked gouda

In a large pot heat EVOO over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the beef and cook, stirring to break up, until browned, about 8 min. Stir in onion, garlic, zucchini, squash, bell pepper and chiles; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the corn kernels, chili powder and paprika. Cook until the veggies are softened, 6 to 7 min.

Stir in the beer and cook until reduced slightly, about 2 min. Stir in the tomatoes, thyme and lime peel and cook until slightly reduced, 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, then stir in the lime juice. To serve, top with scallions and cheese.

“KILLER CAM” BACON MAC & CHEESE

Because “healthy eating” is not required during football. Ever.

Ingredients:

• EVOO
• 6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2in pieces
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 onion, cut into 1/4 in dice
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 quart whole milk, plus more as needed
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• Tabasco or other hot sauce
• 1 pound medium shells or other short pasta
• 2 c. grated cheddar cheese (8oz)
• 2 c. grated fontina cheese (8oz)
• 1 c. grated parmesan cheese (4oz)

Drizzle a bit of EVOO in a large saucepan. Add the bacon and set the pan over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Do not discard the bacon fat.

Add the butter and onion to the pan with the bacon fat; season with salt and cook until the onion is soft and aromatic, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture looks like wet sand, about 3 minutes.

Slowly whisk in the milk, mustard and a few shakes of Tabasco. Season with salt and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the mixture is slightly thicker than heavy cream, 6 to 8 more minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook 1 minute less than the instructions on package suggest, al dente. Drain pasta.

Add the cheddar, fontina, and parmesan to the milk mixture and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, adding a little more milk if the mixture seems too thick. Stir in the cooked bacon and pasta. The mixture should be very creamy and flavorful. Serve immediately.

There you have it- just a few key kitchen “plays” for the big game and beyond this winter. Enjoy them both- I’m actually off to go make myself a few snacks. For some reason, I’m starving.

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Recipes, Taste of Woodloch