Ingredients * 1 tablespoon olive oil * 1 1/4 lbs pork tenderloins, cut into bite sized pieces * 1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed * 2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced * 1 cup chopped onion * 1 tablespoon chopped garlic * 1 teaspoon cumin * 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon * 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can fat free chicken broth * 1/2 cup water * 1 cup frozen corn * 1 1/2 cups salsa, a chipotle version suggested * cilantro (to garnish) Directions 1 Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the cubed tenderloin and cook for 7 minutes, turning so all sides are browned and the pork is cooked. Remove from pan and set aside. 2 Add the remaining teaspoon of oil to the pan along with the onions, peppers and sweet potatoes. Cover and cook for three minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the sweet potatoes, continuing to cook another 2 to 3 minutes. 3 Add the garlic, cumin and cinnamon, stirring so that the spices are well mixed into the vegetables. There should be a nice aroma at this point. Stir in the water and broth and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and add in the corn. Cook covered for 5 minutes. 4 Add in the salsa and the cooked pork. Cook until heated through. If you are using salsa from the fridge, I would suggest adding it a minute before the meat so that it can heat up without leaving the tender meat tough. 5 Garnish with cilantro and serve with warm tortillas or tortilla chips.

Jude, I'd just use a pumpkin butter recipe, but the stuff would have to be refrigerated and used or frozen, it's too dense to can safely. I LOVE pumpkin butter, so I'm sure I'd love sweet potato butter too. At any rate, here's a recipe, as I said, I'd just sub sweet potato for the pumpkin, probably 3 1/2 cups mashed. Butternut squash might work too and now that I'm thinking, brown sugar might be a good addition. Or maple syrup, yum, in place of some of the apple juice. Use a deep pan, it'll get thick and you'll get ittle "volcanoes" spattering up on your arms. Or use a pan in the oven at 350, stir periodically until thick enough and you won't have to deal with that. I've used this recipe simply because it does have common ingredients and not so many flavors that it gets confusing, if you know what I mean. I think the citric acid is either to keep the pumpkin from darkening or as a preservative, or maybe both. Commercial canneries have equipment not available to the home canner, so they can process things that are not safe to do at home. Pumpkin Butter 1 (29 ounce) can canned pumpkin puree 3/4 cup apple juice 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1 1/2 cups white sugar 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg Combine pumpkin, apple juice, spices, and sugar in a large saucepan; stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently. Transfer to sterile containers and chill in the refrigerator until serving. Annie

Ham and Split Pea Soup from Epicurious : From Cooks Illustrated March 1999. this is a delicious soup but takes a little bit of time to make the broth but it's incredible. You can use a leftover ham bone if you get one of those big hams at the holidays (freeze the bone with a bit of meat) or a ham hock is okay too but can be salty. 1 piece (about 2.5 lbs) smoked bone in picnic 4 bay leaves 1 lb split peas rinsed and picked through 1 tsp dried thyme 2 tbsp olive oil 2 med onions, chopped med 2 med carrots, chopped med 2 med celery stalks, chopped med 1 tbsp butter (optional) 2 med garlic cloves, minced 3 small new potatoes scrubbed and med. diced ground black pepper balsamic vinegar Bring 3 quarts of water, ham, bay leaves to a boil, overd med high heat in large soup kettle. Reduce heat ot low and simmer until meat is tender and pulls away from the bone (2-2.5 hours). Remove ham meat and bone from broth; add split peas and thyme and simmer until peas are tender and dissolved (45 min - 1 hour). Meanwhile, when ham is cooled enough to handle, shred meat into bite sized pieces and set aside. Discard rind and bone. While ham is simmering, heat oil in large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add onions, carrots and celery; saute, stiring frequently until most of the liquid evaporates and veggies begin to brown; 5-6 minutes. Reduce heat to low; add butter, garlic, and sugar. Cook veggies, stirring frequently, until deeply browned; 30-35 min, set aside. Add sauteed veggies, potatoes, and shredded ham to soup; simmer until potatoes are tender and peas dissolve adn thicken soup to the consistency of light cream (about 20 min more). Season with black pepper. Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with red onion (optional)and pass vinegar (optional)

Just do it.... Peel the sweet potatoes....then simmer in water until they can easily be pierced with a fork. Then butter a casserole, slice the potatoes and put a layer in the dish, sprinkle with a little salt, sprinkle a little ( or a lot) of brown sugar...add another layer and salt and brown sugar....drizzle it all with melted butter...put into the oven at 350 and bake for 25 to 30 minutes... Remove from the oven and turn the temperature of the oven to 425 and line up marshmallows on top. Bake until browned about 15 minutes....maybe less. I also think a sprinkle of cinnamon would be good before you add the marshmallows....or perhaps ginger. Linda C