Hungry Minds Cran’Potle Pie Recipe

• 1 medium onion
• 2 stalks celery
• 2-3 medium carrots
• 2 tablespoons salad oil
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 3 tablespoons chicken or turkey stock (more if necessary)
• 1 tablespoon Tone’s Southwest Chipotle Seasoning (Smokey and spicy)*
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 4-5 medium sweet potatoes (divided)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar, firmly packed
• Salt, white pepper and butter to taste
• 16 ounces fresh collard greens
• 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash sweet potatoes, pierce the skin of each potato several times with the tines of a fork and place on foil lined baking sheet on middle rack of oven. Bake until tender (approximately 45-55 minutes). Cool slightly and peel.

Slice 2 potatoes into 1/3 inch slices. Set aside. Mash or process the remaining potatoes until smooth with brown sugar, salt, pepper, and butter. Set aside.

Rinse cranberries under cold water; drain. Combine cranberries, granulated sugar and water in a medium saucepan.

Bring to a boil and cook at a low rolling boil for 8 minutes, not stirring. Check for thickness or gel. Stir, and set aside.

Coarsely chop onion, celery and carrots in a food processor or by hand, (a combined total about 2 cups.) Sauté in a skillet with the oil.

Add ground turkey to the sauté along with stock to keep mixture moist. Thicken mixture with paste prepared with the flour and cold water. Set aside.

Rinse collard greens under cold water; drain. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add collards and blanch for 4-6 minutes to bright green and slightly tender. Drain.

To assemble:

Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a ceramic or glass lasagna pan or Dutch oven.

Cover bottom of pan with sliced sweet potatoes. Spread turkey mixture over the potatoes and top with the collard greens.

Layer on the cranberry sauce.

Finally, pipe on or spoon on the mashed sweet potatoes, allowing lattice for cranberries to shine through.

Bake for 45 minutes covered. Uncover and finish to a golden brown another 10-15 minutes.

* Your own seasoning can be prepared as a blend of salt, cayenne, chipotle, garlic/onion spices, paprika to taste.

An original recipe created for the Hungry Minds Book Club of Tomah. Perfect dish-to-pass at any event where hungry minds gather.

Yield: 10-12 servings as a main course; more at a potluck

– By Marianne Strozewski