- 1 lb. sweet potatoes - trimmed
- 1/3 c. orange juice
- 1 T. bacon fat or olive oil
- 3 carrots - peeled and cut into discs
- 1 large onion - sliced into thin wedges
- 2 small turnips - peeled and chopped
- 1 lb. ground beef or lamb
- 1 T. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. seasoning salt
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp. ground red pepper
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes or until softened. When roasted, remove the skins and process with the orange juice in a blender until smooth. Set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees.
Meanwhile, heat the bacon fat over medium-high heat and add the vegetables. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove the vegetables from the pan and add the ground meat. Brown the meat and add the Italian seasoning and salt. Return the vegetables to the pan and add the diced tomatoes. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
To assemble, place the meat mixture in the bottom of a casserole dish. Top with the pureed sweet potatoes and sprinkle with the red pepper. Bake the dish for 15-20 minutes or until the mixture is bubbling and heated throughout. Serve hot.
- Yields: 6-8 servings
- Preparation Time: 45 minutes