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Thanksgiving quiche puts sweet potatoes front and center

Sweet potatoes are a favorite side dish at Thanksgiving dinner tables. Packed with vitamins, nutrients, fiber, and delectable flavor, sweet potatoes have earned their place on holiday dinner tables. While many holiday hosts bake, fry or mash their sweet potatoes, these beloved tubers can be prepared in other ways as well.

If you want to put a new twist on this Thanksgiving staple, whip up this recipe for “Sweet Potato Quiche,” courtesy of the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission. Submitted to the NC State Fair Tailgate Recipe Contest by Kristen Frybort, this recipe marries sweet tubers with decadent cheese, rich cream and savory spices.

Sweet Potato Quiche Makes 8 servings

2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into small cubes

3/4 cup yellow onion, diced

2-1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Black pepper to taste

Egg mixture:

4 eggs

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced

1/2 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded

Pre-baked deep dish pie crust

Preheat oven to 400

F. Mix together the first

A sweet and savory Halloween treat

Save the tricks for another time; this Halloween is all about the treats. Halloween parties are par for the course, and spooktacular hosts and hostesses want to serve their guests something special. Enter a dessert hybrid that layers various flavors to create a masterpiece that simply works.

This recipe for

“Grilled Chocolate Chip Cookie Bacon S’mores,” courtesy of the National Pork Board and Tiffany Edwards of Le Creme de la Crumb, is the Frankenstein’s monster of the dessert world. You’d be hardpressed to find a person who can pass up the salty swagger of smoked bacon paired with the creamy richness of chocolate and the crunch and sweetness of a chocolate chip cookie. Top it with marshmallow and this Halloween treat is alive with flavor!

Grilled Chocolate Chip Cookie Bacon S’mores

Yields 12

12 thick-cut slices bacon (hickory five ingredients and place on baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. eral spirits, including a young woman who died after falling from the roof.

While sweet potatoes and onions are roasting, shred cheese and set aside. Whisk the egg mixture and set aside.

Once potatoes and onions have finished roasting, spoon them into the pre-baked pie shell. Next, layer the shredded cheese on top of the sweet potatoes. Reduce oven to 375 F. Pour egg mixture over the cheese and potatoes. Place quiche in the oven on a center rack. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until eggs are set.

Edinburgh Castle

A site of many bloody battles that overlooks what many people say is the most haunted city on Earth, Edinburgh Castle keeps tourists guessing with many paranormal activities. The most common is the feeling of being touched and pulled and visions of apparitions.

Fort Mifflin

Fort Mifflin is America’s only Revolutionary War battlefield that is still intact. Located in Philadelphia, the 14 restored buildings supposedly house plenty of spirits from the past. A screaming woman is often heard, and she is so loud that the police have been called to investigate.

Monte Cristo Homestead

Located in Junee, New South Wales, Monte Cristo Homestead is considered to be the most haunted place in Australia. Tragic events, including many deaths, have occurred on the homestead since it was first constructed.

Moundsville

Penitentiary

Moundsville Penitentiary was one of America’s most violent correctional facilities and the final stop for almost 1,000 criminals. Many people died at the West Virginia facility. While the prison closed in 1995, some say that tortured spirits can be seen and heard on prison tours.

Tower of London

There have been many reports of paranormal activity at the Tower of London. Anne Boleyn, whose tragic marriage to King Henry VIII ended when she was beheaded, is said to be seen walking the tower’s corridors near the spot of her death.

UAA’s Wendy Williamson Auditorium

The Wendy Williamson Auditorium in Anchorage, Alaska, has its share of unexplained phenomena. Footsteps and voices are frequently heard. Many people insist they have witnessed poltergeist activity on the property as well.

Weston State Hospital smoked, Applewood smoked or maple)

This West Virginia facility was renamed after first being known as the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. Opening in 1864, the hospital became home to thousands of people with mental illnesses. Hundreds of people are said to have died here, and spirits may date back to the Civil War era. These are but a handful of the seemingly haunted locations to visit around the world.

12 large marshmallows

12 two-inch squares chocolate good quality

12 skewers

12 tablespoons butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk

2 cups flour

1 3.4-ounce box instant French vanilla pudding mix, dry, not prepared

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Make the cookies: In a bowl, cream together butter, sugar and brown sugar for 1 to 2 minutes until light and very fluffy. Add vanilla, egg and egg yolk, and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, pudding mix, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until incorporated and dough comes together. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover very tightly and chill for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Roll dough into balls

(about 1-1/2 inch) and space 2 to 3 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Allow to cool 5 to 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

To grill the bacon: Heat a grill to medium-high heat. Thread bacon onto skewers in an S-shape. Place skewers directly on grill and cook 8 to 12 minutes, rotating as needed to ensure even cooking. Transfer to a plate, let cool and then remove bacon from skewers. Set aside.

Meanwhile, roast the marshmallows: Roast marshmallows directly over the grill using skewers or roasting sticks until cooked to your preference.

Assemble s’mores: Flip one cookie over so it’s upside down. Place a square of chocolate on top of the upsidedown cookie, then top with grilled marshmallow, bacon and a right side-up second cookie. Serve immediately.