Tracy's Cream cheese & potato soup

4 cups chicken broth (or water)

4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cut into chunks

3 medium carrots, peeled & chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

1 cup fresh peas

Salt, to taste

Oregano

Basil

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Combine broth, potatoes, vegetables, and spices.

Boil on medium heat until potatoes are tender.

Smash a few of the potatoes to release their starch for thickening.

Reduce to low heat.

Add cream cheese.

Heat, stirring frequently, until cheese melts

Louisiana Sweet Potato Pancakes

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound sweet potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. Place sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan of boiling water, and cook until tender but firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, and immediately immerse in cold water to loosen skins. Drain, remove skins, chop, and mash.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Mix mashed sweet potatoes, eggs, milk and butter in a separate medium bowl. Blend sweet potato mixture into the flour mixture to form a batter.
3. Preheat a lightly greased griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter mixture onto the prepared griddle by heaping tablespoonfuls, and cook until golden brown, turning once with a spatula when the surface begins to bubble.

Chorizo Hash Browns

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• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 pound russet (baking) potatoes (about 3)
• 1 1/2 to 2 ounces Spanish chorizo (cured spiced pork sausage), casing removed and sausage finely chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Cook onion, scallions, and garlic in 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

Peel potatoes and coarsely grate. Squeeze any excess water from potatoes and mix with onion mixture, chorizo, parsley, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until combined well.

Wipe out skillet and heat butter and remaining tablespoon oil over medium heat until butter is melted. Add potato mixture, spreading evenly in skillet and pressing gently to flatten. Cook over medium heat until crisp and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Invert a large plate over skillet. Holding plate and skillet tightly together, invert hash browns onto plate. Slide back into skillet and press gently to flatten. Cook until golden and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes more. Cut into wedges and serve.

Sweet Potato Cheesecake

1 pound sweet potatoes

8 tablespoons (4 ounces) butter, melted

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg yolk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray.

Line pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil,

allowing it to extend above the sides of pan. Spray again. Set aside.
Pierce sweet-potato skins; microwave on high until tender, about 3 to
5 minutes; cool.

Into medium bowl, scoop sweet potato from skins. With electric beater,
beat until smooth, gradually adding butter. Add flour, brown sugar,
egg, vanilla, salt and baking powder. Beat until smooth.
In a small bowl, beat together until smooth cream cheese, granulated
sugar and egg yolk.

Spread half the cream cheese mixture into prepared pan; top with half
the cream cheese mixture in 8 mounds on top. Repeat remaining sweet
potato and cream cheese mixtures. Pull knife through batters to
marbelize. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out
clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Remove from pan by lifting edges of parchment or foil paper; cut into
16 squares. Serve with raspberry sauce if desired.

Baked potato soup

Ingredients

• 3 bacon strips, diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup half-and-half cream
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• Shredded Cheddar cheese
• Minced fresh parsley

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Set bacon aside. Saute onion and garlic in the drippings until tender. Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper; mix well. Gradually add broth. Bring to boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, cream and hot pepper sauce; heat through but do not boil. Garnish with bacon, cheese and parsley.