March Monthly Color Challenge and a Sweet Potato Recipe

The Monthly Color Challenge, hosted by Jen at Patterns by Jen, draws inspiration from fruits and vegetables. This month the color challenge block is the red-orange of yams. I've never had an opportunity to eat a yam, but I love sweet potatoes. Alton Brown has a hilarious segment on the difference (click here)  - it's less than four minutes long and I highly suggest it!

I love this pattern from Jen. I think it's genius. It's like a ghost pinwheel. I love her patterns so much this year that I'm making 2 or 3 at a time in the 6-inch and the 12-inch sizes. The above is a 12-inch.

12 inch block

Growing up in Oklahoma every Thanksgiving involved a sweet potato casserole, always with marshmallows on top. I still love it, and I have a wonderful non-marshmallow sweet potato casserole involving a brown sugar streusel that I would be happy to share with you. But during the past few years I have found a new love in savory sweet potatoes. My dear Mom lived with us from 2002 to 2010, and she would often ask for a baked sweet potato for dinner. She had me bake it until it was caramelizing then she would eat it with a bit of butter and a little sprinkle of salt. Only during the past few years have I started enjoying sweet potatoes in the same way as well as in savory dishes - Mom would be so pleased! I developed this recipe to incorporate sweet potatoes, and it is my very favorite soup. It is low-fat, filling, good for you, and delicious. The touch of sweetness imparted by the sweet potatoes is perfect with the spiciness. Try it with tortilla chips - yum!

Turkey Taco Soup

1 pkg ground turkey

1/2 onion, chopped, or 1 tablespoon minced dried onions

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 can hominy, drained and rinsed

1 can black beans, undrained

1 7 oz can diced green chilis undrained

3 tablespoons La Costena chipotle sauce*

1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Brown turkey with onion. Add sweet potatoes and stir. Cook until turkey no longer shows pink. Sprinkle mixture with garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin and stir to coat everything. Add broth and bring to boil. Add hominy, beans, chilis, sauce, and salt; stir and cover. Simmer 30 minutes with lid on and 30 more minutes with lid off. Stir occasionally and cook until soup is slightly thickened and sweet potatoes are tender.

* You can add more or less to taste. Use the actual chipotle peppers in sauce if you prefer.

6 inch block

If you are interested in joining this fun challenge, click the corresponding button in my sidebar, and check out the "yam" interpretations by other quilters at Jen's link party right here.