Room Makeover and Sweet Potato Latkes

We have had quite an exciting week!  On Thursday morning after Matthew left for school, his birthday room makeover began.  The painters arrived on schedule and painted his room a rich khaki color (with a dark blue accent wall) and hung his new light fixture.  Shortly thereafter Ikea arrived to build his new dresser and desk.  When they were done, we re-arranged his furniture, put on his new bedding and hid a cell phone in his desk drawer. 

 

We kept the door closed and did a big grand entrance.  Matt came home from work for a few minutes and we all led Matthew through the door where we caught his surprise on video!  It was wonderful!  There were so many moving parts with different people owning various parts of it and it all came together so beautifully.  He was thrilled!  Of course, the moment he saw his cell phone, well, that trumped the whole room makeover.  And of course, with the cell phone came a cell phone contract.  Email me if you would like me to share it with you.  I looked at several online and then created my own contract. 

Matt and I took Matthew and Champ and 2 friends to the Monster Truck Show Saturday night.  What a hoot!  It was really fun and a lot to take in - I don't know what was more interesting:  the monster trucks or the people watching.  Fascinating, really! 

So here I am on a Monday loving my kids being home.  After a weekend of spend the nights and activities, my heart just smiles when it's me and the kiddos - and it's especially smiley right now because my house is quiet.  Champ is at the library with my neighbor.  Brooke is sleeping and Matthew is buying apps with his iTunes card.  I ran with Sandy this morning so she has found a nice spot and she's sleeping.  Peace and quiet - I love it! 

I went to the grocery this morning and bought food to make the following meals:

Corn Chowder with Sausage Corn Bread (I bought gluten free baking flour and will keep my fingers crossed that it still works!)

Basil Lemon Baked Chicken with Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Chicken Salad (Café at Pharr style)

Chicken/Sausage Gumbo over Cauliflower Rice

 

 

So, look forward to some new recipes!  Before the Monster Truck Show on Saturday, we fed our hungry boys some burgers, salad and sweet potato latkes.  They were a hit!  Big Matt especially loved them.  As I tasted them after having been freshly cooked and topped with crumbled blue cheese, I felt like I could have submitted them in a food competition and won.  Mm mmm. 

 

First, I grated 1 medium sized yellow onion followed by one regular Idaho potato and one sweet potato (I peeled the potatoes first).

 

After I grated those three, I put them in a pile in the middle of a clean kitchen towel.

I then wrapped it up and squeezed all the water out - or as much as I could.  (**Note - rinse the towel off before you throw it into the wash because when I opened my washing machine to put the clothes in the dryer, it was a mess - potatoes everywhere!).

I added some salt, pepper, a bit of cayenne pepper, one egg and 2 TBS flour and mixed it all up.

Working with about 1/4 cup at a time, I scooped some up, made a little patty in my hand and put it in a hot skillet with Canola oil...

Cook them for about 3-4 minutes a side.

Aren't they pretty?  When they were done and hot off the pan, I put a little crumbled blue cheese on top and seriously thought I might pass out - they were so delicious.

I cooked them early in the day so that I had nothing to do but plate up dinner when it was time to eat (the monster trucks were waiting for us).  They were better, in my opinion, when they first came out of the pan because they were still crispy.  They lost some of that crispiness sitting in a warm oven all day, but they were still really good.  This would be a great side to any chicken, pork or beef dish.  Or you could have a couple of these and some mixed fruit for a meal!  Enjoy! 

Click here for the recipe.