Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes

I wanted veggie burgers but didn't have any in the house so I looked around to see what I did have.  Turned out I had two gigantic organic sweet potatoes and some quinoa.  I wasn't sure I would find any recipes if I googled the two, but I was proven wrong.   And I was so glad I did!  I found this recipe on another blog.  I adapted the recipe slightly due to the ingredients I had on hand.  These were fantastic.  AND both my Hubs and little one loved them.  Not to hard to make especially if you already have some leftover quinoa or sweet potatoes... I hope you enjoy these as much as we did!

Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes

Adapted from the Blog, How Sweet It Is

Ingredients:

1 onion, white or red
2 sweet potatoes; roasted and peeled
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 to 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 to 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley (fresh, if you only have dried, use 1 teaspoon)
1/2 tablespoon chopped oregano (only use if you have fresh)
1/2 to 1teaspoon dried chipotle powder (this is hot so if you don't want it spicy, don't add it)
Kosher salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste


Directions:

In a large skillet, add chopped onion to some olive oil and cook until translucent.  About 5 to 7 minutes.

In a large bowl, add the potatoes, quinoa, bread crumbs, parmesan, hebs and spices.  Mix well with a large fork.  (If mixture appears to wet, add more breadcrumbs.  That is why the amount varies in the ingredients).  Add cooked onions and mix.  Add lightly beaten egg and mix.  

Ready to be mixed!!  

Form patties and place on a separate dish.  In the same skillet you cooked your onions in, add more olive oil and let come to a medium heat.  Add patties and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes on each side.  They should be nicely browned.

Sauce:

2 tablespoons molasses
2 heaping tablespoons raspberry preserves
2 tablespoons brown mustard

Mix together and you have yummy sauce!

Dulce De Leche Cheesecake Bars

Being pregnant and all I get the occasional craving.  Lately it has been for cheesecake.  I have been too lazy to go buy any and didn't feel like making one either.  The best compromise?  Cheesecake bars.  Really easy and a lot quicker than making an actual cheesecake.  These are exceptionally good.  I'm guessing its because they are topped with, in my opinion at the moment, liquid gold better known as  dulce de leche!  You do need to take the time to make the dulce de leche if you can't find any at your store but believe me, it is soooooo worth it.  Especially because this makes extra and you can store that extra in a jar in the fridge.  It keeps for a few weeks.  Good on ice cream, cookies and I've heard, great in coffee....I've yet to try that.  Just a warning, these are addicting.  So make it for a party unless you want to be eating the entire thing.

Dulce De Leche Cheesecake Bars

slightly adapted from Bonappetite.com

Ingredients:

Dulce De Leche
2 cans CONDENSED milk


Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place condensed milk into a small pyrex dish.  Cover the pyrex dish tightly with foil.  Place that dish into a larger dish and fill with water until it's about half way up the pyrex dish.  Place into the oven and let cook for about 90 minutes.  Check on it at about an hour.  You want a caramel color.  The longer you leave it in, the darker it will become.  Remove from the oven and whisk until any lumps are no longer visible.  That's it!!!  Dulce de leche.  Now don't go eating it all.  You won't have any left for the bars.

In the water bath...of course I had to take it out and put
the foil on.  Pregnancy brain.

After it's trip in the oven.  OMG.  I must admit I ate some
with a spoon.  To hard to resist!

Ingredients:
Crust
2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling
3, 8 ounce packages of cream cheese
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Glaze
2/3 cup dulce de leche
1 to 2 tablespoons half and half

Directions:

Crust
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9x13 pan.  Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, salt and melted butter.  Press into pan and back for about 10 minutes.  Remove from oven.

Filling
Put the cream cheese and sugar into your mixer.  Mix until well combined.  Add eggs one at a time and mix until well incorporated.  Add vanilla.  Pour and evenly spread over cooled crust.  Place in the oven and back for about 38 minutes.  It should poof up and the edge will crack slightly.  This is OK!  It will be covered by the dulce de leche and you won't even see them.  Place on a rack and cool completely.

Glaze
Heat the dulce de leche for 10 second increments in the microwave.  Stir after each trip checking for the correct consistency.  Once easy to stir, slowly add half and half and continue to stir until completely blended.  It will thin the dulce de leche just a tad.  Making it a perfect gooey glaze for the tops of your bars.  With an offset spatula, spread over your cheesecake bars and place in fridge for at least an hour.  The glaze will NOT harden.  Then remove from fridge and serve!!

PS...I am going to try to make the dulce de leche from good old milk and sugar the next time instead of using the canned stuff.  I will update this recipe once I figure that out!!  =)