Crock Pot Sweet Potatoes

Good evening and come on in for a visit and have a cup of coffee. Rain and cooler weather is here with the chance of a freeze tonight which doesn't make me too happy but I'll live with it and begin my hibernation. Into every Southern Lady's life a little winter must fall!!

I have a crock pot full of sweet potatoes getting ready for the freezer. A friend shared some with me and from the picture above, you can tell they were huge. I was going to cook and freeze about 4 and to my surprise 2 of these big potatoes filled my crock pot to the brim. I thought I would share this with you so you can have some in the freezer ready to use for later.

Crock pot Sweet Potatoes

6 cups peeled and thinly sliced sweet potatoes - fill up the container - used a mandolin to slice them
2 apples - peeled and sliced
1 cup orange juice or apple juice

Cook on low until tender - about 4 hours. Cool and mash then whip. Freeze in 2 cup portions to use in pies and casseroles. I find that the apples and orange juice add great flavors and apple juice is also good. Thaw out the needed portions, stir and use as you would canned potatoes but they taste much fresher.

I am also including a quick and easy gift you or your children can make. We have lots of shells, driftwood, and rocks we have picked up from the beaches we visit and I came up with this idea to use them. They will make a good gift for a parent or teacher to use as a paperweight or just to look at and think about the beach.

I used a clean Starbucks coffee jar for I like the flat sides and the larger opening in the top.   It also allows you to lay it on its side for a different seascape. You could use any small, pretty jar you have. Baby food jars would be good as well as others.

Wash thoroughly, dry and paint the top. I use the paint pens for they are easy to use and not messy, especially for children. It eliminates the brush and you can use them on metal, glass, or plastic.

Gather together your shells and beach findings and begin to layer them in the jar. I use a knitting needle to turn them over or move them to the side but a skewer would work also.

I like to put a few larger shells as a focus for the seascape but if children are doing it, let them use their own imagination and creativity. Fill the jar to the top and add the painted top.

Add a ribbon or twine with a shell threaded through one strand. You could use raffia, twine, burlap ribbon or whatever you like. A shell hot glued to the top would also be pretty. Let your creativity be your guide. Make a tag with the name of the beach and the year they were gathered as a memory bottle of a special vacation.

If you don't have sea shells you could take a field trip with the kids and collect rocks, pebbles, sticks, acorns and other natural elements and fill bottles and decorate. Buttons would also be very pretty.

I have several in my Etsy shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/francesrobson?ref=si_shop if you would like some ideas.

Have some fun with your kids and they will have beautiful gifts for family and friends or a keepsake of a special time at the beach or a nature walk.

Let me know what you did and thanks for stopping by.

Nuff said,

The Georgia Peach