Storing Sweet Potatoes without a Root Cellar/Basement

I have found several ways to store up my sweet potatoes this winter.  Aside from the potato bin indoors, and the burlap bags in another cool/dark room, I am stocking them up in other recipes.

Ginger-Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Butter.

This is a Better Homes and Gardens canning recipe, but it is not boil canned. It goes in the freezer.  Recipe is not online, but is in their magazine (Canning, preserving, freezing and drying) and book I believe.

Frozen Mashed Sweet Potatoes.  I had been told by so many people "you can't freeze potatoes."  I beg to differ.  You can, but you bake and mash them first.  I add nothing to them.

I have been very successful with this process (this works well with white potatoes as well).  I bake the sweet potatoes, mash them, and freeze them on a baking sheet in 1/2 cup servings.  I take them out, and place them in container or freezer bags and simply heat in the oven when needed for meals.  I used foil the last time to line my sheets and the foil stuck to the potatoes.  I used parchment paper this year, and it worked perfect.

Aside from enjoying these with a meal, I can also thaw them to use for sweet potato breads, muffins, and even brownies.

Also, freeze the white mashed potatoes (or red), in 1/2 cup servings.  I utilize this for making rolls too vs. using "potato flakes" in the recipe I use.

You can always dehydrate sweet potatoes as well.  This will be my first year and test tasting them this way.  I have dehydrated (and canned) white potatoes in the past, but the texture after dehydrating is not the best tasting.

And for the first time, I will wrap a few up in newspaper and attempt at growing my own slips without a root cellar/basement.  I'll be storing them in the refrigerator or in a burlap bag of their own.   According to my research, the larger the sweet potato, the longer it will keep in a cool/dark location.


As for storing white/red potatoes?  Canning (pressure canning) has been the best option for me, along with freezing them mashed in single servings.  The taste is much better than dehydrating. 

You can pressure can sweet potatoes too, but I have yet to purchase a pressure canner. I borrowed one to can the white potatoes (to give it a try and check out one of the brands).

You can read my post on our experience canning the white potatoes: here.

Random Tidbits

After trying to convince our youngest daughter to go back to bed, she was on the bus to school, only to text and asked to be picked up.  She slept the entire day yesterday, and I whipped up a batch of homemade ginger-ale for her.  

And speaking of whipping up a recipe.  I made the homemade make up remover wipes - water, jojoba oil, vitamin E oil, and virgin coconut oil.  The recipe is in this book:

I will be back with an update, after the girls give them a whirl.   I sure hope they work.  Buying "organic" ones from the store is robbing my wallet.

Update:  11/7/2017 - these wipes starting growing mold on them yesterday.  So saddened, as these really worked, and I had hoped to cut down my costs for the girls.  I can't add an essential oil, as they are used over your eyes, and I can't put them in the fridge either.  They were tossed out.
 

The kale is growing like wild fire.  I am super happy too.  So is my swiss chard.  They survive a hard freeze, and the best part of this colder weather?  No bugs, so there is more to eat and stock up with.

I decided to put some of the kale into the crocky too - Lentil Barley Soup (recipe from the book above, and thank you Mama Pea for the book suggestion).  A wholesome meal packed with warmth and nutrients. 

I added a finely diced habanero for heat and health as well.    I didn't have a leek, so I used chopped green onion and one shallot.  I still didn't have a lot of spice to the pot, so I ended up adding some "fire powder" and red pepper flakes.  Fire powder is just a mess of hot peppers dehydrated and ground up (at the end of the season).


Apparently Lagom (Swedish) is the new Hygge (Danish).  I just read an article on it, and I pretty much try to live that way - living life to the fullest, staying spontaneous,  trying new things, yet being responsible.


I've been using simply borax to scrub my toilets.  We have a septic system, so I have to be careful of what I use.  I just read a blog (Hibiscus House) that suggested you use baking soda, white vinegar and tea tree oil.  I did some more research, and from what I found, it's also septic safe. I gave it a try, and it works great.  

Send good thoughts and prayers my way.  I'm writing a short story for a contest.  A contest is always a shot in a million, but I love writing too.  There is a pay out for the winners too.

I'm making progress on the mug sets.  They are looking pretty good so far.  I need to crochet the straps on next. 

Happiness is when I find another pint of homemade granola in the cupboard.  I love it on my yogurt.