Sweet Potato Cinnamon Bread - just in time for the holidays

If you ever visit South Western Ohio I highly recommend you make a stop at Young's Jersey Dairy in Yellow Springs. It is kinda like a dairy farm on steroids   They not only raise dairy cattle and make their own ice cream, but they have turned their farm into a fantastic family fun center.  Complete with  petting zoo, ice cream parlor, putt putt golf, batting cages, driving range, two restaurants and more.  They have delicious ice cream and great food.  Recently a friend shared with me their amazing recipe for Sweet Potato Cinnamon Bread with Honey Butter. It is a perfect treat for any holiday dinner (breakfast, lunch or snack too!).

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Bread

Ingredients

3/4 cup softened butter

2 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 cup sweet potato puree

2 eggs

2 1/2 flour

3/4 tsp ground nutmeg

3/4 tsp ground ginger

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 TBSP ground cinnamon

1 1/2 dashes of ground cloves

1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. The recipe tells you to cook 1 medium sweet potato to make into the puree, but I cheated and used a can of candied sweet potatoes and pureed them in my food processor. (Of course, you can use left over sweet potatoes from your Thanksgiving dinner.)

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; stir in sweet potato puree and eggs. Sift together flour, salt, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves. Stir half the ingredients into creamed mixture, stir in water, then remaining dry ingredients.   Ok, that is how the recipe tells you to do it, but I just throw everything in the bowl and beat it with an electric mixer until smooth.

Spray loaf pans with cooking spray.

The recipes says it makes 1 loaf or 12 muffins.  I was able to make 2 loaves.  

Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Now onto the amazing 

Honey Butter

1/2 cup softened butter

2 TBSP honey

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Put all ingredients in a bowl, using a mixer, beat ingredients until very light and fluffy.

Serve on warm Sweet Potato Cinnamon Bread 

 Delicious and Irresistible!!

ThRiFt StORe SwEaTeR = LoOp ScArF in 3 easy steps

The other day my daughter and I stopped in an Ann Taylor Loft store to check out their latest winter fashions.  I fell in love with several of the Loop Scarves they had, but couldn't imagine paying $39.99 for half a sweater.  So I came up with my own version from a sweater I bought at the thrift store.


When shopping at the thrift store I looked for a sweater that was a little bulky and had a nice texture. The sweater I bought was a size M and I figured that would make a big enough scarf for me. I suppose the size sweater you buy depends on your size and how much bulk you like around your neck. A sweater with a long torso that is not too wide will make a nice bulky loop scarf

3 Easy Steps to the Perfect Loop Scarf

1.) Find the perfect sweater at the thrift store, garage sale or even an old sweater in your closet.

 2.) Cut the sweater straight across under the arms.

3.) Finish the cut edge. I folded over the cut edge and ran a zigzag stitch along it just to keep it from raveling. You could also do a slip stitch or blanket stitch by hand, use fray check, or leave it if you don't think it will ravel.

There you have it -  my version of a $39.99 loop scarf for $2.99.
3 Easy Steps - gotta love it!

With this scarf I did a slip stitch with embroidery floss around the cut edge.  I like it much better than the machine finish.

The fabric of this sweater was ideal for a loop scarf.  No edge finish was needed.