Anadama Bread

The very first bread I ever made was Anadama bread.  I saw the recipe in a newspaper article about how simple it was to make, so I gave it a try and was amazed that my first loaf of homemade bread was a success! That was 37 years ago and from that I have tried many recipes, some failures, but that same Anadama bread always came out a success! I love to serve it with a bowl of baked beans or a bowl of soup.

Anadama Bread

Adapted from Beard on Bread

(Printable Recipe)

1 package active dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1-1/4 cups warm water

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup molasses

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2-1/4 cups whole wheat flour

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1/4 cup warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes. In a saucepan, combine the remaining 1 cup water, butter, molasses and salt and heat to lukewarm.  Stir into the yeast mixture. Mix in the cornmeal until incorporated. Whisk together the two flours. Add the flour, 1 cup at a time while beating. The dough will be sticky. Turn the dough out onto an oiled countertop or board and knead until the dough becomes smooth. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a buttered bowl. Cover and allow to rise until doubled.

Punch the dough. Shape into an oblong loaf and make three slashes across the top using a sharp knife. Place on a baking sheet. Let rise again until doubled. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake for 10 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 35 minutes or until the loafs make a hollow sound when lightly tapped.

Note: The loaf pictured was made by doubling this recipe.

Slow-Cooker Vegetable Chili

Like the word "casserole", when I hear the word "slow-cooker" I usually have little interest. Maybe it's my fear that the recipe will automatically include a "cream of" something soup, which I'm no fan of. That said, it's a real head turner for me when I come across a recipe and read on to find it was actually made in a slow-cooker. This chili is one of those examples. While flipping through the January issue of Real Simple (one of my favorites), I came across a recipe for a chili that included ingredients like sweet potatoes, peppers and seasonings like cocoa powder and cinnamon. I knew I had to make it and noticed that it was all accomplished using a slow-cooker. When I made the chili, I was so surprised how easy it was to throw together and how flavorful and perfectly cooked it came out. Besides chopping the vegetables and measuring out the spices, the only other step is dumping in a couple cans of fire roasted tomatoes, beans and letting that slow-cooker work its magic. Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on slow-cookers after all!

Slow-Cooker Vegetable Chili

Adapted from Real Simple

(Printable Recipe)

1 small red onion, chopped 

1 bell pepper (pick your favorite color), chopped 

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2-1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (if not available, increase regular chili powder by 1/2 teaspoon)

1 tablespoon cumin

2 teaspoons, unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 black pepper

1 cup water

2 (15.5 ounce) cans fire roasted diced tomatoes

1  (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15.5 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

Scallions and sour cream, for serving

Combine the onion, bell pepper, garlic and seasonings in a slow-cooker. Add the tomatoes, beans, sweet potatoes and water. Cook for 7-8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high. Top with a dollop of sour cream and scallions, if desired. Serves 4.

Cranberry Lime Cake

I recently browsed through the cookbook, Bon Appetit Desserts  by Barbara Fairchild.  The cover says "The cookbook for all things sweet and wonderful".  I was filled with delight from cover to cover and had the urge to bake many desserts upon closing the cookbook.  It was inspiring to a woman who loves to bake and I adapted this simple lime cake recipe to include cranberries and provide one's taste buds with a lovely sweet and tart combination.  The cake is simple and delicious.

Cranberry Lime Cake

Adapted from Bon Appetit Desserts 

(Printable Recipe)

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup milk
1 1/3 cups self-rising flour
1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped in food processor
3 - 4 limes
6 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 8-inch square baking pan. In mixer bowl, cream butter and 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Slowly mix in milk, then flour. Stir in cranberries.  Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.

While cake is cooking, finely grate enough lime peel to measure 1 tablespoon. Halve limes; squeeze enough juice to measure 6 tablespoons. Make a lime syrup by mixing the peel, juice, and 6 tablespoons sugar in small bowl until sugar dissolves. Set syrup aside.

Using a skewer, poke holes all over the baked cake. Spoon half of 2 1/2 tablespoons lime syrup over the hot cake. Cool.

Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar into remaining lime syrup; drizzle over cake. Let cake sit 1 hour. Cut cake into squares.

Barley and Fennel Stuffed Acorn Squash

When does winter squash go out of season? Well, I am pretty sure it's still in season and I absolutely had to try this recipe, which is another great by the people at America's Test Kitchen. 

This vegetarian main dish is pulled together by roasting acorn squash and stuffing it with a lovely mixture of fennel, onion, barley, pine nuts and parmesan. Barley is a good grain to keep in your pantry because it can be used as a substitute for brown rice and adds variety.

A note on fennel. When I went to the grocery store, the fennel was actually labeled "anise" on the shelf, but I quickly realized that it was in actuality, fennel. If you have never tried fennel, this is a great recipe because the fennel flavor really shines!

Barley and Fennel Stuffed Acorn Squash

(Printable Recipe)

Adapted from The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2011

2 acorn squash, cut in half and seeded

2 teaspoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

3/4 cup pearl barley

1 cup onion, finely chopped

1 fennel bulb, cored and finely chopped

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried coriander

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated

2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

1 tablespoon butter

Balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle acorn squash halves with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on baking sheet and roast for 40-55 minutes or until fork tender. While the squash cooks, fill a medium saucepan with water, bring to a boil and add barley.  Let simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion and cover. Cook on medium low until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander and thyme and cook one more minute. Remove from heat. Stir in the barley, pine nuts, 3/4 cup of the parmesan and butter. Scoop out the flesh from the cooked acorn squash, leaving an 1/8 inch thickness. Fold in the acorn squash with the barley mixture. Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Portion out the barley filling among each acorn squash half. Top with the remaining parmesan cheese. Place in oven and bake only until the cheese melts. Remove from oven and drizzle with a little balsamic glaze or vinegar before serving.

Wheat Bran Dinner Rolls

This roll recipe has been a favorite in our home for many years.  My children devour these rolls at meal time and enjoy eating the rolls as a snack.  It is one of those "go-to" recipes for me.  The wheat bran seems to give the rolls a more appealing flavor.

Wheat Bran Dinner Rolls

Adapted from Hodgson Mill recipe

(printable recipe)

1 package or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast

½ cup warm water

½ cup boiling water

½ cup shortening, butter or combination of both

 1/3 cup sugar

½ cup wheat bran

¾ teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Add yeast to ½ cup warm water; stir to dissolve and let stand 5 minutes.  In a large bowl, pour boiling water over shortening or butter; stir in sugar, wheat bran and salt.  Cool to lukewarm.  Beat egg and add to dissolved yeast.  Mix well.  Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing well.  Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead about 5 minutes.  Place in greased bowl and cover with damp cloth.  Allow dough to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 ½ hours.

Punch down.  Divide into 12 equal portions for rolls.  Place on lightly greased baking sheet.  Let rest for 10 minutes.  

Bake until golden or bottom is slightly browned, about 12 minutes.

No-Rise Thin Crust Pizza Dough

I was audibly rejoicing while making this pizza crust over the weekend. I love thin crust pizza and while living in Washington D.C. for a year, I used to go to the absolute best restaurant that served a thin crust pizza I will never forget. Now that I am living far away from Paolo's, I can only hope to find a pizza that is half as good.  

Anyway, back to this pizza. As you can see from the picture, this is definitely a thin crust! It is so easy to make and using a stand mixer is totally up to you, since it is just as easy to make by hand. There is no yeast in the dough, so that removes a step. The dough has cornstarch in it which according to America's Test Kitchen, helps to yield a crisp, but tender crust because the cornstarch actually absorbs moisture and has no gluten. 

Putting a baking stone (think Pampered Chef) or pizza stone in a hot oven and then sliding the dough onto its sizzling surface also helps to get great results. I love that this recipe adapts the process for a standard kitchen that may not have a pizza peel sitting around. The dough is rolled out on a piece of parchment paper and placed on an inverted baking sheet. After topping the pizza, the dough along with the parchment paper, is transferred onto the hot baking stone. 

The results were satisfying and I am so happy to be able to make a thin crust pizza at home. It may not totally get rid of my occasional cravings for Paolo's, but it certainly will make for a good, thin as can be, pizza.

No-Rise Thin Crust Pizza Dough

Adapted from The Best of America's Test Kitchen

(Printable Recipe)

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water 

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Place a baking stone or pizza stone on the lowest rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the olive oil and water. Pour the wet ingredients and combine with the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms, adding just a little bit more water if needed (not much though). Knead 3 or 4 times. 

Divide the dough in half. Press the dough into a circle and place on a piece of flour-dusted parchment paper. Roll out into  thin 12-inch circle. Repeat with the other piece of dough. Place the rolled out dough and the parchment on an inverted baking sheet. Add sauce, cheese and toppings, being conservative on the amount of sauce and cheese (it will weigh the pizza down if too much sauce/cheese is used). To get the pizza into the oven, slide the pizza and parchment off the baking sheet and onto the baking stone. Bake for about 10 minutes.

Chocolate Toffee Cookies

Heath bar bits and almonds caught my eye immediately.  The minute I read this recipe I knew I had to make these cookies for my husband.   He likes chocolate and toffee and I thought this cookie might be a hit with him.  I knew I would like it and enjoyed adapting the original recipe slightly to fit our tastes a little more.  It is a definite repeat recipe!


Chocolate Toffee Cookies
Adapted from Desserts by bon appetit
(printable recipe)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon hazelnut flavor
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Heath bar toffee chips
1/2 cup sliced almonds


Preheat oven to 350 F.  In large bowl, mix butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add egg, vanilla and hazelnut flavor and mix.  Add flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt and combine well in mixer.  Stir in toffee chips and almonds.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet.  Bake 11-12 minutes.  Cookies will puff slightly and crack on top. Let cook on baking sheet 1-2 minutes before removal.

Ginger Walnut Streusel Muffin Topping

You're probably wondering why I don't have a muffin recipe here. I wanted to make a streusel topped muffin using leftover crystalized ginger from the gingersnaps that I made a while back. I made a basic whole wheat muffin with dates and topped it with this streusel. The streusel was delicious and a definite keeper, but the muffin was nothing to write home about. I didn't want you to miss out on a yummy streusel topping, so I decided to go ahead and post that part of the recipe. I think this streusel could be pretty versatile and I'm only betting it would be a good topper on many muffins and quick breads. Though the muffin I made didn't shine, my favorite blueberry muffin recipe would probably taste pretty great topped with a streusel like this one. The streusel makes enough for at least 24 regular sized muffins, so with the extra, I took the advise of The Full Nester and put it in a storage bag placed it in the freezer for later use.

Ginger Walnut Streusel Muffin Topping
Adapted from Epicurious
(Printable Recipe)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts 
1/4 cup crystallized ginger chips, chopped finely
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 stick butter, at room temperature


Mix together all ingredients with a pastry blender or a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over muffins or quick breads right before baking. Freeze extra for future use.

Berry Peach Crisp

It took me about 2 minutes to prepare this Berry Peach Crisp for a dessert.  This is the result of planning ahead months ago.  Over the summer I took the time to make a few fruit pie fillings for use later.  Do you remember this post with the peach raspberry pie filling?  I also made a peach blackberry pie filling.

And how about this post recently in which I made a freezer fruit crisp topping?  

I took the pie filling out of the freezer bag and dumped it into a pie plate.  Then I sprinkled the fruit crisp topping over the peach blackberry filling.  Waiting for the crisp to bake was the only difficult part of this recipe.  Topped with fresh whipping cream, this dessert tasted as wonderful as the easy process of making it. Sometimes preparation is definitely better than procrastination.  It brings me such peace and joy.

Chocolate Chip Caramelitas

I have a bad habit of making recipes that I have never made before for others.  Sometimes it is not a good idea.  However, I had better luck when I found this recipe while looking for a birthday treat to make a friend. This recipe is so simple and takes little effort.  It is very generous on the chocolate chips and nuts and is best eaten warm.  The bars should also have a cold glass of milk as an accompaniment for ultimate satisfaction.  Chocolate chips are one of the best invented food items ever!

Chocolate Chip Caramelitas

(Printable Recipe)

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour, divided

2 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, melted

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cup (12 ounces) caramel ice cream topping

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Combine 2 cups of the flour with old fashioned oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.  Stir in the melted butter.  Reserve 1 cup for the topping and press the remainder of the mixture into an ungreased 13" x 9" baking pan.  Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or lightly browned. Remove from oven.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts.  Combine caramel topping with remaining flour.  Drizzle over chocolate chips and nuts.  Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture.  Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool in pan until bars are set enough to cut without crumbling.  Serve warm.

Four Cheese Pesto Lasagna

As I was grocery shopping for ingredients to make lasagna for Sunday dinner, I paused at the magazine section and came across a lasagna recipe in The Best of America's Test Kitchen that used fontina cheese. It said fontina is a good addition because of its buttery, nutty tones that melt beautifully. It also gives the Italian dish a more complex flavor. I decided to combine it with a few of the classic cheeses found in traditional lasagna. To top it off I finished off the lasagna with a few dollops of pesto.

Four Cheese Pesto Lasagna 
(Printable Recipe)
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound ground beef (or 1/2 pound ground beef plus 1/2 pound sausage)
1/2 cup pesto (prepared or homemade)
3-4 cups tomato basil spaghetti sauce 
1 box no boil lasagna sheets
2 cups fontina cheese, grated
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese
15 ounces ricotta cheese
2 eggs


Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the ground beef, onion and garlic. Cook until meat is browned. Season with basil and oregano. Drain any fat. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix together the fontina, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses in a bowl. Set aside. Beat 2 eggs and fold into the ricotta cheese. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Pour 1 cup sauce on the bottom and spread it out evenly. Put a layer of pasta, followed by a layer of sauce. Spread out 1/2 of the ricotta mixture and sprinkle on 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat procedure ending with sauce on top. Sprinkle with the three cheese blend and dollop pesto sauce on top. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes. Remove cover and bake another 5 minutes or until browned. Cut and serve.

We're linking this post to Presto Pasta Nights hosted by Girlichef. Join the fun by submitting your own pasta recipe!

My Secret Baking Weapon: Silicone Baking Mat

I have been using a nonstick baking mat for many years and I couldn't imagine baking without them.  When making granola this weekend, I thought about these mats.  You can find them listed under many names.  The first one I bought was a Matfer Exopat and then I found Walmart carried less expensive ones years later. Nothing sticks to them and if you take care of them they will last forever.  Taking care of them simply means to hand wash and never cut on the mat (with any type of knife).


I bake many items on the mats and they are awesome when it comes to making barks, toffee, cinnamon rolls and granola.  After making barks, brittles or toffee you can pick up the cooled candy block right off the mat.  Have you ever had cinnamon rolls ooze and leave a crystallized sugar mess?  The mat cleans easily and there's no scrubbing required.  It's the same for granola as the granola comes right off the mat and there's little cleaning of the cookie sheet.


I think nonstick baking mats are about as wonderful as my Kitchen Aid mixer and favorite rolling pin.  If you haven't experienced the bliss of a nonstick baking mat, you should make a small investment for this item.

Cream of Parsnip Soup

With its distinct flavor, parsnips—the white carrot-like vegetables you may have seen in the produce section—are a great winter root vegetable and are typically served with roasted meats. Last winter I discovered this cream of parsnip soup and immediately made a mental note to make it again this year. The pure simplicity of the soup really showcases the root vegetable with few other additions. It is velvety, comforting and perfect for harsh winter days. 

Cream of Parsnip Soup

Adapted from Canyon Ranch via Epicurious

(Printable Recipe)

1 tablespoon butter 

2 shallots, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

2 pounds parsnips*, peeled and sliced

5 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar

Sea salt, to taste

1 pinch black pepper

3/4 cup half and half (I had cream on hand, so I made my own with half cream and half milk)

Melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots and onion and cook until translucent and soft. Add parsnips, chicken stock and white balsamic vinegar. Cook over low heat for 45 minutes or until parsnips are tender. Puree using an immersion blender or standard blender. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in half and half.

*Smaller parsnips tend to me more tender, which is favorable for a soup like this.

White Chocolate Coconut Cookies

These cookies are the result of purging my pantry.  I was trying to get rid of opened bags of coconut and white chocolate chips with past or approaching expiration dates.  The result was a very good cookie which is perfect in sweetness and texture.


White Chocolate Coconut Cookies
(Printable Recipe)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups regular oats
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup flaked coconut


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, oil and sugars in mixer. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and add to creamed butter mixture.  Mix until combined.   Add oats, white chocolate chips, pecans, and coconut. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a cookie sheet.  Bake 12 minutes.  Cool.

Maple Roasted Acorn Squash

There are just a couple more months to really take advantage of the abundance of winter squash before spring arrives and produce like asparagus land in my shopping cart. This is an ultra simple way to cook acorn squash because it involves no peeling or long cooking time. It is basted with a combination of maple syrup and melted butter, which helps to caramelize the acorn squash and leave it with a hint of sweetness. It makes a great side dish and doesn't require too much attention either.

Maple Roasted Acorn Squash

(Printable Recipe)

1 acorn squash, sliced and seeded

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons melted butter

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Arranges the squash rings on the baking sheet. Whisk together the butter and maple syrup. Using a pastry brush, brush each squash ring with the maple syrup/butter mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Bake about ten minutes and turn over. Baste other side and continue to cook until fork tender. Brush with remaining maple syrup/butter mixture before serving. Serves 4.

Freezer Fruit Crisp Topping

Occasionally, I like to make a few items in bulk and put them away in the freezer or pantry.  One of my favorites is this Freezer Fruit Crisp Topping.  The crisp topping is perfect and allows for some slight variation for your own taste.  It crumbles nicely straight from the freezer atop your favorite fruit for a crisp or a crumble pie topping.

Freezer Fruit Crisp Topping

(Printable Recipe)

4 cups rolled oats

1 cup granola

2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1 1/2 cups butter

Blend all together until crumbly.  Divide and store in freezer quart bags until ready to use. Label.  Makes 3 bags for 8 x 8 pans or pie pan sizes up to 10".

Sauteed Cabbage with Basil

What do you think of when you think of cabbage? 

Cole slaw? 

Cheap? 

Cabbage Soup Diet? 

Cabbage Patch Kids? 

I have come to learn that beyond the above labels, cabbage can be tasty and even elegant if you dig a little deeper. Served as a side dish, this recipe left me wanting a second helping because I couldn't get over how flavorful a head of cabbage dressed up with a few simple ingredients could be. Butter. Olive oil. Basil. Cracked pepper. That's all it took to make me swoon over this side dish. 

Sauteed Cabbage with Basil

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Menus for Entertaining

(Printable Recipe)

1 bunch fresh basil, thinly sliced

4 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 head green cabbage, shredded

1/2 pound bok choy, shredded

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large saute pan, melt butter and olive oil together over medium heat. Add the cabbage and bok choy and saute just until soft. Season with salt and cracked pepper. Stir in the basil and toss to incorporate. Serve warm.

Sweet Potato Fries

I know I shouldn't be posting fries since most people are trying to shave off holiday pounds and detox from the one too many holiday sweets and such. But here I am, telling you to fry your vegetables.

I chose to fry these sweet potato fries instead of baking them because I wanted to make sure that my fries were crispy and not simply roasted. Maybe it was the jet lag I had from flying over 6,000 miles the day prior, but I was stubborn about how my fries turned out. After doing some research on a huge thread on Chow, I found that many people did not have success baking the fries without a convection oven. This is also where I saw that to amplify the crispiness, the sweet potatoes could be dredged in a little cornstarch. Several participants on the thread had noted that this was the best approach and it worked great. I was sold and decided to fry my fries so that I would enjoy them and feed my craving. They turned out fantastic and are good sprinkled with sea salt, Old Bay, or whatever else you feel like.

Sweet Potato Fries

(Printable Recipe)

2 large sweet potatoes, washed and scrubbed

1/2 cup corn starch

Vegetable oil

Sea salt or Old Bay, to taste

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Cut the sweet potatoes into thin strips. Place in cold water and let sit for 20 minutes. Meanwhile heat a heavy bottomed pan over medium high heat with about two inches of oil.  Drain the sweet potatoes and dredge in cornstarch, shaking off any excess. Fry the sweet potatoes in batches until crispy, about 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle with sea salt or other preferred seasoning. Transfer to a baking sheet and stick in the oven while frying the remaining fries. Serves 4.