Sweet Potato, Jalapeno and Corn Bisque

I've been wanting to make a soup lately that uses yams or sweet potatoes in it, and so when I saw this one at everybody likes sandwiches, I figured it would be perfect. The texture was really velveety, with just a bit of spice from the jalapeno, matched by the sweetness from the corn. A perfect soup to warm you up on those cold, windy and wet days that we've been experiencing lately around here!

Sweet Potato, Jalapeno and Corn Bisque

Adapted from everybody likes sandwiches (originally from The Wednesday Chef)

Serves 4

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium yams, peeled and chopped

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped

3 cups chicken broth

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 cup frozen corn

1/2 tsp maple syrup

1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)

1/2 tsp ground pepper (or to taste)

tiny pinch of ground cinnamon

1. In a large pot, over medium heat, saute onions for a minute or so, then add garlic until fragrant. Add the yams and sweet potatoes, stirring for a few seconds.

2. Add the chicken stock - I used just enough to make sure that the vegetables are covered. Use more or less as needed. Cover, and boil over medium heat until cooked - about 10-15 minutes.

3. If you have an immersion blender, you could use that to puree the vegetables... I used a blender, pureeing in batches until everything was very smooth.

4. Return the soup to the soup pot, and add the jalapenos, corn, syrup, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Stir well, and adjust the seasoning as needed. Enjoy!

Lettuce Wraps

Oh. my. goodness. SO delicious! So, eventhough lettuce wraps are not the type of thing that we ever make (and I've really only had them like 3 times in my entire life before now), my sister passed this recipe on to me that she recently tried, and they were a HUGE hit. My husband I and both loved them. As is typical for what I look for in a recipe, they were very easy to make... and like I said they were delicious. The oyster sauce did seem like a funky ingredient never having used it before, but all of the ingredients together made this dish taste amazing. We had no leftovers!

Lettuce Wraps

Adapted from chinesefood.about.com

Serves 3

1-2 heads butter lettuce
1 lb ground beef

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

1/4" slice of fresh ginger, peeled and diced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 can sliced water chestnuts, chopped

1 stalk celery, diced

1 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp oyster sauce

1 Tbsp sherry cooking wine

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp cold water

1. Wash and dry the lettuce, separating the leaves. Try not to tear them since you'll use them as a wrap. Set aside

2. Heat the sesame and olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions and soften for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, stirring constantly, cooking until fragrant.

3. Add the beef to the onion and garlic mixture, and brown the meat until fully cooked. Once cooked, remove the meat mixture from the pan and set aside.

4. Using the same pan, add a little bit more olive oil to the pan, and add the red pepper, water chestnuts and celery, cooking until softened (about 4-5 minutes). Once cooked, add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sherry cooking wine and sugar to the pan - stir. Let it cook for a minute or two.

5. Mix the cornstarch and water together, and add to the vegetable mixture, stirring to thicken. Add the meat mixture back to the pan, and cook for a couple more minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. To serve, spoon some of the meat mixture onto the middle of one of the lettuce leafs. Wrap it like you would a taco or burrito, and enjoy!