Another Sunday of cooking

I am managing to acquire more local staples, so have a wider range of possibilities now and am able to be follow the challenge more strictly. I picked up polenta, grits, corn meal and corn flour at the Locavore swap meet on Saturday (I had nothing to swap, but if there is another one, I might), so have moved on to baking. Yesterday's adventure, Sweet Potato Pecan Muffins that I made into mini loaves instead (again with a dried spice cheat, as well as non-local baking soda and baking powder). Not being a regular chef, I am not entirely sure how substitutions will affect the outcomes of the recipes I find, so I am winging it and hoping for the best. So far we haven't had to toss any of my creations, which I think is a success. Not all of my concoctions have been successes, mind you, but we have eaten all of them anyway (the garlic applesauce comes to mind, but it was later cured with spinach, water and salt).

Sweet Potato Pecan Muffins (or Mini-Loaves)
(adapted from crescent city farmers market cookbook, compiled by Poppy Tooker)
Ingredients
2 C mashed cooked sweet potatoes
1 1/2 C sugar
1/4 C pecan oil
1/4 C olive oil (TX)
1/2 C water
3 C corn flour (called for wheat flour)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger (called for cloves, but I wanted it to be a little less sweet potato pie)
1/4 nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt (I added a little more salt than this as I didn't want it to be too sweet)
2 C chopped pecans

Directions
Preheat over to 400 degrees. Grease muffin cups or mini loaf pans.
In a large mixing bowl, combine sweet potatoes, sugar, oil, and water; mix well. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt; mix well. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until well blended. Stir in pecans. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups or loaf pans. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes for muffins, 25 to 30 for mini loaves, or until a skewer inserted into the muffins comes out dry.
Makes 18 muffins.

My husband loves the flavor, but as mini-loaves, these are very dense and just a little bit grainy, I assume from the switch to corn flour. I had a couple of mini-slices for breakfast this morning with our fabulous SMith Creamery butter and they were delicious! I am counting this as a success. As I learn more about substituting ingredients I will adjust as necessary.

Chilled Cantaloupe Soup
(adapted from www.cooks.com recipe for cantaloupe - papaya - peach soup)
Ingredients
2 large ripe cantaloupes; peeled, seeded, and chopped (Hollygrove)
1 nectarine; chopped (Hollygorve)
2 peaches; pitted, skinned, and chopped (CCFM)
1/3 to 1/2 C plain yogurt (called for non-fat) (Ryal's)
1 Tbs honey (local, from Rouse's)
mint sprigs for garnish (back yard)
blueberries (optional) (Hollygrove)

Directions
Place fruit in food processor or blender until smooth. Add yogurt and honey; process mixture until it is smooth and well-combined. Transfer soup to large bowl or other container, cover and refrigerate until well-chilled, about an hour. Serve soup in crystal stem desserts (I didn't do this, because I don't have these, but I did chill the large glass ramekins I served it in). Garnish with mint sprigs and serve.
Serves 6-8

My husband added blueberries to the bottom of the bowl. I tried it, but preferred it without the berries. It is very smooth and light and tasty, not to mention fast and simple. The original recipe called for nutmeg, which I left out to make it 100% local, but I didn't miss it at all. I am very pleased with this one.