This Twice Baked Sweet Potato Bar was prepared because I’ve officially been put on a grocery budget. Yes, sad but true. My husband has been reading this book about getting your family out of debt. He’s a numbers guy. When he sets a budget we stick to it. One of the recommendations was setting up a grocery envelope. For the past few weeks he’s been monitoring my grocery funds (yikes!) but he was able to set a reasonable budget for our family. When his paycheck gets deposited we take out said funds in cash and put it in the “grocery envelope”. He was surprisingly happy that I was on board with this new method. Why wouldn’t I? If he’s going to get our family out of debt, I’m in! This can be good for a lot of reasons. I’m a foodie right, so when I go into the grocery store I often see something and think oh yes I want to make a new dish! Then I end up spending more than we really need, and in the end I never end up making that said new dish. I meal plan a lot so why not make the list and stick to the list. This also gives me a chance to make sure I make a few budget friendly dishes throughout the week but allows me to splurge on a few too.
I’ve made Twice Baked Potatoes before but never with sweet potatoes! I knew it would be a bit challenging because sweet potato shells are different, more soft, than say a russet potato. I nailed it on the first try. Well I should say my Mom and I nailed it on the first try. We often cook together on Sundays, my husband happened to be working that day and I told her I really wanted to try making a Twice Baked Sweet Potato Bar where we could all chose what we like. I thought it would make a great addition to this weeks theme of Budget Friendly Dishes. This is a great way to make your potato the star. It can be your main meal with just the right toppings and that way you can really make it budget friendly. Everything is better with an egg right? I originally thought of the egg because I love sweet potatoes in my scrambled eggs. However, I misjudged just how difficult it would be to keep that yolk perfectly on top of my potato, so it broke.
This week’s event is being co-hosted by Shelby from Grumpys Honey Bunch and Caroline from Caroline’s Cooking. Thank you ladies for assisting in bringing these budget friendly dishes to the family table this week!
- 6 Sweet Potatoes
- 4 tbsp of butter, divided
- Possible Toppings:
- Green Onions
- Bacon
- Cinnamon
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Marshmallows
- Preheat oven to 350. Place potatoes on a sheet pan and bake for 70 minutes turning a few times. Try not to poke holes in them when checking to see if they are done. Try squeezing them to tell.
- Meanwhile, cook or prep your toppings.
- Split the potatoes in half and allow to cool.
- Carefully scoop out each potato and place the potato in a large bowl. Leave a little bit of potato on each potato, it helps keep the shape.
- Add 2 tbsp of butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar to the potato. Either use a hand masher or electric mixer to combine. Using a spoon scoop out the mashed potato and place potato into each shell.
- Place back on the baking pan and bake for another 15-20 minutes depending on your toppings!
- Arrange your toppings on a serving tray and let your family build their potato!
Save-Your-Pennies Soups:
Bean and Bacon Soup by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Mexican Turkey Bean Soup by What Smells So Good?
Pasta e Fagioli by The Food Hunter’s Guide to Cuisine
Turkey and Dumpling Soup by Palatable Pastime
Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup by Pancake Warriors
Budget-Savvy Bread and Salads:
Mom’s Buttermilk Biscuits by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
Turkey Salad by Food Done Light
Money-Saving Mains:
Black Bean and Bell Pepper Quesadillas by My San Francisco Kitchen
Cajun Blackened Chicken Thighs by Feeding Big
Chicken Enchilada Casserole by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
Chicken Enchiladas by The Freshman Cook
Chicken Piccata by Monica’s Table
Chicken Tetrazzini by Renee’s Kitchen Adventures
Chimichurri Chicken Thighs by Life Tastes Good
Dutch Baby Pancakes by Brunch with Joy
Easy Cheesy Egg Breakfast Bake with Potatoes and Sausage by From Gate to Plate [or breakfast]
Easy Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
Egyptian Rice and Lentils by Wholistic Woman
French Onion Soup Twice Baked Potato by Sew You Think You Can Cook
Gnocchi with Fennel and Pork by Caroline’s Cooking
Italian Baked Chicken by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Lasagna Stuffed Acorn Squash by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
One-Pot Creamy Chicken and Noodles by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
Orzo with Leftover Turkey and Sweet Potatoes by Cooking Chat
Sauteed Vegetables by Party Food and Entertaining
Turkey Sausage and Pasta by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Twice Baked Sweet Potato Bar by Momma’s Meals
Yakisoba (Japanese Stir Fried Noodles) by Curious Cuisinere
Don’t-break-the-bank Desserts:
Apple Pecan Bread Pudding by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Marshmallow Popcorn Balls by Pies and Plots
Slow Cooker Apple Gingerbread Crumble by The Crumby Cupcake
And more saving suggestions from the Sunday Supper Movement:
Budget-Friendly Meal Ideas for #SundaySupper
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Boy do I ever know what your talking about buying and then never making that new dish….I used to do what your doing with the grocery envelope. I really should do that again!
How did it work for you? It’s taking me awhile to get used to it but no more buying ingredients and not using them 😉
How cool that you cook with your mom on Sundays! I love cooking with my mom. These twice baked sweet potatoes would certainly be a hit in my house.
It’s awesome Laura! She lives in an in-law apartment above our garage and we cook together a lot!!!
What a fun idea for a potato bar! I’ll take extra bacon on mine!
Wow. Kudos to you! I wish I had that kind of discipline. Have you ever gotten to the register and not had enough cash!? How much planning do you have to do to stick to your budget?!
I’m just starting. Actually last week I forgot the cash and had to use my debit card then deposit the cash back in! This is going to be a process for me but I’ll try it! What I do is plan 5 meals. I buy the ingredients and decide what day I’m making what according to our schedule. After the 5 days I go and refresh our fruits and veggies and depending on what I have left that will determine what I buy for the next 2-5 days. Oh and my husband is the kind of guy that can look in the card and just add in his head how much it’s going to cost! Now I wish I could do that.
I have to do this! My boys love sweet potatoes, so they’ll go nuts!!
I love sweet potato skins. These stuffed ones are a sure hit!
Good luck on your getting out of debt endeavor. It does work and you will feel like the weight of the world is off your shoulders. I can easily make a meal out of sweet potato but have never tried it with eggs. That is going to me remedied now. Thanks for the tip.